


Clear Dangan Ronpa: All is not Well

by Anonymous



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Fangan Ronpa - Fandom, Fanganronpa - Fandom, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Fan Dangan Ronpa, Fangan Ronpa, Fanganronpa, Gen, Multi, Murder Mystery, Script Format, Semi Illustrated, canon characters sparingly mentioned, killing game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:34:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 68,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23017090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Discontinued.Sorry, y'all.(CDR has atumblrand adiscordthat can be accessed through those links.)
Relationships: Original Character/Original Character
Comments: 115
Kudos: 54
Collections: Terrible!





	1. [prologue-1] Into the Looking Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The machinations are set in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clear Dangan Ronpa: All is Not Well (aka. CDR, CDR:AiNW, or just AiNW) is the author's second attempt at a fangan! I'm the author. Hi. CDR is my love letter to what Dangan Ronpa could be, but often isn't. I've made it to cater to fans of Dangan Ronpa who wish the series' potential was explored more.  
> ... or as I put it, "Dangan Ronpa fans who hate Dangan Ronpa."
> 
> CDR focuses on character relationships and arcs rather than shock value, as well as prioritizing being realistic while being fun to read rather than having a dark tone. While CDR does allow itself to pursue darker themes, it doesn't like to tackle too many especially triggering topics.
> 
> The author puts notes for the content of parts at the beginning of each of them. Though, as a general note, there will be at least some of the following.
> 
> \- kidnapping  
> \- murder + major character death  
> \- possible drawn gore + written gore (mild)  
> \- discussion of (possible) suicide
> 
> Here's how CDR's script style will work.
> 
> HARUKO: I'm an example! Here's me talking.  
> HARUKO: (I'm an example! Here's me thinking.)  
> HARUKO: [talks, then thinks] That's an example! it's what I'm doing. 
> 
> **This is an example. It's narrating what's going on. Haruko talks, and then thinks.**
> 
> Knowledge of canon isn't strictly required, but it might help in the later parts. Don't be discouraged from reading if you've never played/watched/etc. canon Dangan Ronpa!

???: (Hope’s Peak Academy is a normal school when you get down to its roots.)

???: (If I’ve learned anything over the past few months, that’s what it’d be. Underneath the title of “Ultimate”, Hope’s Peak Academy, like any other university, is devoted to helping its students improve themselves.)

???: (The thing with Hope’s Peak is that they’re a lot more individualized than other schools; they’re focused on helping students improve one specific talent they’ve shown promise in.)

???: (Contrary to popular belief, an Ultimate student isn’t necessarily the best in their field, an Ultimate doesn’t even have to be the best _teenager_ in their field. The specific requirements for being an ultimate are something like this,)

???: (1) You have to have recently graduated high school or currently be attending university.

2) You have to be showing exceedingly great promise in a specific area of skill.)

???: (Obviously, it’s more complicated than that. I doubt they’d accept a talented Drug Dealer or Serial Murderer… Probably. Apparently, a few decades ago, they would’ve done something like that. Obviously things have changed-- that’s why I recently turned nineteen and I’ve been going here for…)

???: (Two months and five days.)

???: (… Wait.)

???: … Oh crap, it’s 9:30…?

**Immediately, Haruko blinks herself to reality and grabs all her things-- she totally lost track of time.**

**Currently, she’s in Hope’s Peak Academy’s media center, working on the official HPA Newsletter. That’s because she’s a journalist. The news is kind of her thing.**

**-HARUKO KAMIKI: Journalist-**

****

HARUKO: (I should probably leave before the media center closes on me. 10 PM is closing time for most of the facilities, and I’m almost overdue on that. I can just finish the article on my laptop when I get back to my dorm.)

HARUKO: (Just gotta extract the files, aaaandd…)

HARUKO: (Done! Woo, go me! I know how to use flash drives!)

**Haruko hurries out of the media center and into the darkness of campus. The entire place should be pretty empty considering it’s not late enough for the party crowd.**

**It is not empty, and Haruko proves this by walking into something.**

HARUKO: Crap--

???: Oh, sorry.

**… Or rather, some** **_one._ ****The figure in front of her is short and thin with a broad-shouldered coat and neck-length, black hair. Her skin is pale, and her deep brown eyes reflect the light of the media center.**

HARUKO: … Oh, Ou-san, is that you?

OU?: Kamiki-chan! What’re you doing up so late?

**-TAE OU: Ambassador-**

****

HARUKO: No reason, really, I was just finishing an article for the paper, and then for _some_ reason it was 9:30, I guess.

TAE: [scratches neck] That’s too bad. Myself, I was just getting back from an important meeting, y’know. [trails off, looks around]

HARUKO: (It’ll always surprise me how such a total ditz is politically important.)

HARUKO: (Up until recently, Ou-san has been a _corporate_ ambassador as opposed to a political ambassador. That being said, despite her… less than professional personality, Ou-san has taken to politics like a duck to water… at least, that’s what her report card says. She and I are basically just acquaintances at this point.)

TAE: [puts hands together] say, Kamiki-chan, do you wanna walk to our dorms together? It’s pretty scary all dark like this, and you have an intimidating aura about you, y’know? You could be like one of my bodyguards, except way skinnier and less athletic!

HARUKO: (Ah, that’s such an Ou thing to say…)

HARUKO: [scratches back of neck] Uh, thanks? I’ll walk you back, yeah. We’re in the same building, if I remember right?

TAE: Yup! So it’s perfect! Kamiki-chan, for a few minutes, you’ll be my knight in shining armor.

TAE: Usually, you have to be a professional for this, so you can be a little honored if you want to.

HARUKO: (I guess when she’s not on the job, she can pay _way_ less attention to her words, huh…)

**Tae and Haruko walk towards the girl’s dorms at a brisk pace-- or, at least she tries to. Tae** **_always_ ** **walks slower than the people around her, so Haruko has to keep up with her at what seems like a** **_crawl_ ** **to someone who always has a place to be.**

HARUKO: Ou-san, can we walk a little faster? I-I wanna be back at my dorm before 10.  
  
TAE: [tilts her head] Hm? Oh, sure. Sorry, my body has to keep up with my brain, y’know.

HARUKO: (I still have no idea what she’s talking about…)

**Luckily, though, Tae speeds up a little, so Haruko can finally walk at her normal speed. They reach the dorms.**

HARUKO: There we go, Ou-san.

**Tae looks a little out of breath by the time she’s caught up with her.**

HARUKO: (I don’t walk _that_ fast...)

TAE: [wheezing] J-jeez, Kamiki-chan, y-you sure walk fast. I think I’d probably have a heart attack and die if I tried to take the stairs now.

HARUKO: Elevator, then?

TAE: [tents hands] Yes please.

**Haruko pushes the door in and starts walking towards the elevator-- she doesn’t know what floor Tae is on, but she can just push another button, it’s not that hard.**

**The girls both funnel our way into the elevator, Tae stands perfectly straight in the corner while Haruko pushes a button.**

HARUKO: Ou-san, are you alright?

TAE: Hm?

HARUKO: You seem more worried than usual. I didn’t know you could even _be_ worried.

**Tae seems to chuckle at that.**

TAE: Well, to tell you the truth…

TAE: [stern, looking directly at haruko] I think someone’s trying to kidnap me.

HARUKO: …!!!

**Tae’s expression screams seriousness, it feels almost uncanny valley considering her usual, unconcerned expression. Even though it makes sense, Haruko’s mind can’t cooperate and she feels a sense of dreadful denial.**

HARUKO: W-what? Are you for real? This isn’t just some weird joke, right? You’re not screwing with me?

TAE: Why would I joke about something like that? Kidnapping is a serious offense, Kamiki-chan! You can get twenty years for that!

HARUKO: Sorry, I know, I’m just… surprised, is all. Why do you think you might be kidnapped?

TAE: Dunno. I just have a feeling. Now that I’m a politician of sorts, I feel like someone’s gonna want to get their hands on me… plus, I’m pretty sure I’m being followed, y’know? That kinda stuff. It’s all… not very pleasant.

HARUKO: So… is that why you wanted me to walk with you? Where are your bodyguards?!

TAE: Well--

**Tae is cut off by the sound of something clinking on the floor.**

TAE: [blinks] … Oh.

**A sudden hissing fills Haruko’s ears as she tries to parse the information being fed into her brain,**

HARUKO: Ou-san, what’s going on!?

HARUKO: I-is this… _gas!?_

**The white smoke that she’d only just noticed begins to fill the cramped elevator, and soon Haruko can’t see anything at all. She coughs violently as the gas enters her lungs, but it does nothing. Her consciousness is already starting to fade.**

HARUKO: [coughs] S-shit! [voice starts to crack] Shit, shit SHIT!!

**Haruko hears the sound of something collapsing on the ground.**

HARUKO: (Was that Ou-san?)

HARUKO: [weakly] O-Ou-sa-- [coughs]

**While Haruko is taller than Ou by a few inches, Ou’s not much thinner than her. Haruko can feel her legs turn to jelly as her eyelids start to get very, very heavy.**

**Do you know how they describe drowning?**

**They say, after your lungs have gotten too much water in them, and the pain is all over, that it’s honestly peaceful. Like you’re laying on the softest, most comfortable bed in the world.**

**and you’re about**

**to fall**

**asleep**

**…**

**… …**

**… … …**

**… … … …**

**… … … … …**

**… … … … … …**

**I can see it, I swear.**

**Why won’t you believe it? It’s right there.**

**I see it. I really do.**

**A stained glass window.**

****


	2. [prologue-2] Into the Looking Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruko wakes up and sorts out her surroundings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No real warnings I can think of. Go wild.

… 

… … 

… … … 

… … … … 

… … … … … 

… … … … … … 

The sound of wind funnelling in from a cracked door.

A comfortable warmth. A soft coat. Cloth.

Skin adhering to vinyl that grabs hands about to leave.

Eyes that won’t open without help. Like a puzzle with a strange solution.

Control, simply absent. Not stolen, just gone.

Like a wooden floor coming closer to your head--

… … … … … …

… … … … … 

… … … …

… … … 

… …

… 

HARUKO: Oof!

**Haruko rubs the back of her head absentmindedly before she even sits up, trying to ease the pain.**

HARUKO: (Jeez, what was that for? I thought my bed had an edge-guard… or _whatever_ they’re called.)

**However, she quickly realize that wherever she is, it’s not her dorm room, and whatever she was laying on** **_definitely_ ** **isn’t her bed.**

HARUKO: (Is that… a vinyl seat?)

**What lays ahead of her is a row of light brown wood coated with red vinyl, like an old american restaurant booth that never ends. Haruko stands up, and there’s more of them. Wherever she is, it’s built to hold hundreds of people all at once.**

HARUKO: [to herself] What… what the hell _is_ this place?

???: I-it’s a church.

**She turns to the source of the meek voice. It’s high-pitched and close to shattering.**

**It’s owner isn’t much different, a little boy with blond hair and different colored eyes, he’s wearing a scarf, a sweater-vest, and a beanie like it isn’t warm outside, plus** **_pajama pants._ ** **The most obvious thing about him, though, is that he’s clutching a stuffed animal to his chest. Haruko guesses that it’s a cat.**

??? (comfy boy): I-I don’t blame you for not knowing it… th-they don’t have too many of these in Japan.

**Haruko nods, dazed, and looks around the room. It’s a massively grand room with a ceiling that almost gives you vertigo. The thing that catches her eye, though, is the stained glass windows.**

HARUKO: … Uh… do you know where we are right now?

??? (comfy boy): [shakes his head] N-no. Sorry. I-I’ve been _way_ too scared to leave here since I woke up. [shrinks a bit]

HARUKO: (Oh… I guess he’s in the same spot as me right now… Wait, what spot _am_ I in right now?)

**Memories of the night before flooded her mind--** **_Computer, Ou, Walk, Elevator, Kidnap, Gas, Glass?_ **

HARUKO: (Crap, where’s Ou-san!? Is she okay? W-was I kidnapped too? Why was I kidnapped if they were going after Ou, why was _this little kid_ taken too?!)

HARUKO: (Okay, _calm down_ Haruko, calm down. You’re in a church, according to the little boy. Since the door’s open, you’re probably not stuck here, so… just hold off on panicking for a little while, please? You’re gonna worry the kid, and then he’ll probably cry, and you’ll have to deal with it because it’d be your fault and really that’s just not gonna be good for anyone involved!)

HARUKO: Hey, have you… seen anyone else? No one specific, just… anyone at all.

??? (comfy boy): … [nods and points to the front of the room]

**She slowly walks to where the boy guides her-- there’s a stand with a microphone.**

HARUKO: (I guess that’s where they have their sermons, or whatever they call them here.)

**There laid a familiar face huddled behind the podium.**

HARUKO: Ou-san! [runs over]

**Haruko shakes her shoulder almost violently in an attempt to wake her up.**

TAE: … Whhuh?

HARUKO: Ou-san! You’re okay! Jeez, I was so worried!

TAE: [blinks] Why?

HARUKO: W-what do you MEAN _why?!_ We probably got kidnapped and you’re asking me why I was _worried?!_

**Ou takes another second to mentally sort through her surroundings before pushing herself off the ground.**

TAE: [stretches, yawns] … This is weird.

HARUKO: … How are you so calm right now?!

TAE: I’m… not all there. I’ll probably be freaked when I realize what’s happening. 

TAE: … Speaking of, what’s happening?

HARUKO: I… don’t know. I don’t know.

**The two take a moment to process everything in silence. They’d had just been kidnapped, probably, and now they’re… somewhere. Probably a Christian church.**

TAE: Think you can call someone?

HARUKO: (... Why didn’t I think of that?)

HARUKO: Good call.

**After searching through my pockets, she pulls out her phone, enters her passcode, and opens the home screen.**

HARUKO: What… what the hell?

**Almost all of Haruko’s apps were… replaced?**

HARUKO: (No, that doesn’t make any sense, why would you kidnap someone and replace all their apps? That’s stupid, so then… why?)

**Haruko scroll through the new applications that were added while she was asleep, but there’s only one she can open: Student.**

**There are sixteen boxes, almost all of them are completely black, save for three: One with Haruko’s face, near the very end, and one with Ou’s face, at the very beginning. The other one is a black-and-white image of the blond boy she’d seen a minute or two ago.**

TAE: W-what’s wrong? Your face looks worse than normal.

HARUKO: Well… I can’t call anyone, but I can definitely tell you what you look like. [shows her the phone]

TAE: … Well. That’s bad. Let me check if I have anything on mine. [pulls out her phone]

TAE: [pouts] Nope. Just a bunch of grey apps and the same one you have.

TAE: Ooo, I can still listen to music, though! [deflates] But I… can’t contact anyone, no.

HARUKO: [sighs] What do you think the ‘Students’ app is for?

TAE: [shrugs] I dunno. Probably just a way to keep track of everyone. I have no idea why a kidnapper would go through the trouble of making a whole app, though!

**She nods vaguely and turns back to the app, tapping her virtual face.**

{ [ 16. ] [ HARUKO KAMIKI/ 神木 陽子]  
  


| Height: 5’4” (163 cm.) | Weight: 145 lbs. (66 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese and Black. | Place of Residence: Yokohama, Japan. (former)  
| D.O.B: February 8th, 2031. | Age: 19.  
| Blood Type: A-  
| Gender: F  
| Likes: Rabbits, excessive notation.  
| Dislikes: Eraser smudge, touchy people.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Journalist.

 _“Haruko Kamiki, like many people, runs a blog dedicated to news, and prides herself on being unbiased. However, Kamiki’s dedication and talent to her craft are simply higher than the rest. Kamiki sometimes finds herself in several different prefectures every day in order to get every bit of information she can for an article. Her crowning achievement, however, was her willingness to investigate a murder that the local police were hiding information about. Her involvement in the investigation was certainly a factor in finding the culprit.”_

___________________________________________

[NOTES] }

HARUKO: T-this is… my report card.

**Right next to an image of Haruko’s face is her official Hope’s Peak Academy Report Card, down to the capitalization… with two exceptions; first is the inclusion of a notes section, and second...**

HARUKO: … Sixteen?

TAE: [scratches cheek] Well, there are sixteen spots, and you’re last, so I guess that makes sense.

TAE: … I never knew you liked _bunnies_ though. [giggles]

HARUKO: Is that _really_ the most pressing issue here?!

TAE: Sorry, just tryin’ to lighten the mood. [taps on her phone] Oh, try clicking the little guy’s face.

**Haruko obliges, backing out of her report card and touching the grayed-out icon of the boy watching them from the seats.**

{ [ 9. ] [ ??? / ??? ]

| Height: ??? | Weight: ???  
| Ethnicity: ???| Place of Residence: ???  
| D.O.B: ??? ??? | Age: ??  
| Blood Type: ??  
| Gender: ?  
| Likes: ???, ???  
| Dislikes: ???, ???  
| Special Notes: ULT. ???

_“???”_

___________________________________________

[NOTES] }

TAE: Looks like he’s number nine, I’m number one, and you’re number sixteen. That’s about all it tells us, though.

HARUKO: No, no, look closer, at the special notes section. It says “ULT.”

TAE: … Oh! So he’s an Ultimate too?

HARUKO: Has to be, if he has a report card… 

HARUKO: (Maybe he got in early? He can’t be any older than fifteen… right?)

**The boy they’re talking about shifts in his seat a little bit.**

HARUKO: [gestures for him to come over] 

??? (comfy boy): [shuffles over to the two] … Y-you… uh… [waves]

HARUKO: [crouches] Hey. So… I don’t know what’s going on right now, but whatever it is, we’re _apparently_ in it together, whether we like it or not… _plus,_ all of us are Hope’s Peak students, so we have something in common. So… do you wanna tell us your name?

??? (comfy boy): … [nods, pulls down his scarf] I-I’m Kaoru. Kaoru Teruya. I-I’m… I’m a freshman, a-and I’m… the Ultimate Stuffed Animal Collector.

**-KAORU TERUYA: Stuffed Animal Collector-**

****

HARUKO: [smiles] Alright then, Teruya-san, apparently there’s a bunch of other people here, so we should probably go meet them, right?

KAORU: [nods] Yeah, prolly.

TAE: Y’know, according to his report card, he’s eighteen. [tilts head absentmindedly] You don’t have to treat him like he’s nine.

HARUKO: [shoots up] _WHAT?_ [double take] WHAT?!

KAORU: [winces, hides behind plush cat] S-sorry. I’m just short. D-don’t feel bad, though, I don’t mind. People’re u-usually nicer to kids anyway.

HARUKO: Uh… sorry. I totally thought you were a kid. [chuckles awkwardly] Glad I know _now_ though, otherwise it might’ve been really awkward when we met up with the others.

KAORU: O-oh. Right. The others.

KAORU: Can I… join you guys?

HARUKO: Scuse me?

KAORU: S-sorry if it sounds weird, but… I’m bad with people, and you two already know each other, so if I tagged along with you, t-then I could meet everyone. Plus… you seem nice.

KAORU: I-I don’t really plan on staying here that long, b-but if there are really sixteen people like you guys said, then… it’d prolly be for the best if… I met ‘em.

HARUKO: [nods] That makes sense, yeah. Shouldn’t be much of a problem, [turns to TAE] right, Ou-san?

TAE: Yuppers! I mean, teaming up would prolly be the best option, y’know? If Teruya-chan here wants to meet everyone, then it makes sense for us to help-- It _is_ my job, y’know.

KAORU: O-oh… yeah, that reminds me-- y-you said you were Hope’s Peak students, s-so that means you… you have talents, right? Names… names too. Is it okay if you tell me?

HARUKO: (I-It’s totally fine… I can feel his inferiority complex from a mile away…)

HARUKO: [nods] Sure, I’m Haruko Kamiki, and I’m a journalist. This chipper little lady here is Tae Ou, and she’s an ambassador.

TAE: [pouts, crosses her arms] Quit being so humble, Kamiki-chan! We’re _Ultimates!_ We’re allowed to be cocky if we feel like it.

HARUKO: Yeah, whatever-- you two go ahead, I’m gonna screw with this app some more. Shouldn’t take more than five minutes, so just… wait outside for me.

**The others take her advice and slowly walk towards the massive double-doors that lead outside the church, and Haruko looks closely at her smartphone.**

**Sure enough, Teruya’s icon is now in full color.**

HARUKO: (When did _that_ happen?)

**Tapping it takes her to his report card, now completely rid of question marks and full of information-- however, what really gets her going is the notes section. After scanning through the report card, she brings up her phone’s keyboard and starts tapping away.**

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: [closes the door behind her] Sorry if I took too long, you two, --

**The two don’t respond, it doesn’t take Haruko very long to notice why.**

**Green grass, yellow sand, to Haruko’s right there’s a garden of flowers, and to the left, a park full of trees and plant life. There’s only one word in her mind: Gorgeous.**

HARUKO: Woah.

KAORU: W-where… _are_ we?

**Haruko doesn’t know how to answer that. She opens her mouth to say something, but the only thing that comes out is a small ‘uh’.**

TAE: [giddy] This place… is beautiful! If I knew being kidnapped would get me here, I’d have let it happen _way_ sooner than this! [spins around like a disney princess in the flower patch]

HARUKO: OU-SAN OH MY GOD.

TAE: [turns to HARUKO] Hm?

HARUKO: H-how are you able to take this so lightly?! This is… a very serious situation!

TAE: [bends down and picks a flower] If you don’t take serious situations lightly in this day and age, you’ll just suffer. [sniffs it]

TAE: Kamiki-chan, you should smell this. [smiles] It feels like eating honey.

HARUKO: [rubs her temples, sighs]

**Kaoru doesn’t have the reservations Haruko has and runs over to smell the honey flower. He’s interrupted, though.**

KAORU: O-oh. Oh no.

KAORU: Kamiki-san! There’s-- there’s someone in the flower patch! Sh-she’s sleeping!

HARUKO: (... Huh?)

HARUKO: Uh, I’ll… check it out?

HARUKO: (Jeez… this situation is so weird.)

**Haruko walks over towards the others and sees the aforementioned sleeping girl.**

**… … … … … …**

**The girl in the flowerbed is short and stocky, a bit broad with black hair, long and wavy. She looks like she’s dressed in an average school uniform.**

HARUKO: [shakes her shoulder, speaks softly] Hey, wake up.

??? (flower girl): … Nnn… [wipes eyes]

HARUKO: Heeey, sleeping beauty. Get up… please?

??? (flower girl): … Meurhg.

??? (flower girl): … Who’re you?

HARUKO: M-my name is Haruko Kamiki, I’m a student at Hope’s Peak Academy. Given our, uh, current crowd, I think you might be too.

??? (flower girl): … [slowly] Oh. Okay.

**The girl doesn’t make an attempt to get up, and instead just lays in the flowers, idly looking around.**

HARUKO: (I don’t even know her name, but this girl already reminds me of Ou-san.)

HARUKO: You gonna get up?

??? (flower girl): Oh! Sure. [pushes herself up.]

HARUKO: [sarcastically] Good job.

??? (flower girl): [sincerely] Thank you. Where… am I, right now, by the way?

HARUKO: [awkward chuckle] That’s kinda what we’re trying to find out? All we know is that most of us are Ultimates, and that there are sixteen of us… we’ve all got numbers, phones are gone-- basically, we’ve been kidnapped.

??? (flower girl): Oh.

??? (flower girl): That’s bad.

HARUKO: Eyyyyup. You mind telling us your name?

??? (flower girl): [shakes head softly] Mizuki Satou. I’m one of the Lucky Students.

**-MIZUKI SATOU: Lucky Student-**

****

HARUKO: A Lucky Student, huh?

HARUKO: (I guess that’s why she looks so plain… even so, the aura around this girl… it’s so _calm._ I feel like I’m sitting at a duck pond just looking at her. What’s up with her?)

TAE: [innocently] Oh, so you’re not actually an Ultimate?

HARUKO: [offended] _Ou-san!_

MIZUKI: No, no, it’s fine. I’m not really talented like the rest of… [squints] you.

MIZUKI: [blinks] Are… all of you Ultimates?

KAORU: [sarcastically, playing with some flowers] N-no, we just got kidnapped because we’re normal people.

KAORU: … Y-yes, we’re Ultimates. Sorry.

HARUKO: (... Jeez, I guess Kaoru has a sassy side?)

HARUKO: You two introduce yourselves, I’m gonna go see if anyone else is around. That cool with you?

TAE: [absently smiling] Okay, you go on ahead, I’m gonna smell the flowers~

MIZUKI: Sure. I should probably look around too, I just… need a minute.

HARUKO: Got it, see you later, Satou-san.

**… … … … … …**

???: H-HEY!!

**The loud voice breaks Haruko away from her smartphone as she looks for the source. Said source looks about how she expects: a very large and muscular man with a chest bigger than Haruko's waist. The big man on campus is wearing a black shirt with a hood tied around his waist, and he seems to be wearing one sock on his leg** ** _while wearing sandals…_** **she thinks.**

HARUKO: … Um. Can I help you?

??? (big dude): [stressed out of his mind] N-no, no, I mean-- yes, yes you can-- dude, what the _fuck_ is going on right now? Where are we? Who are you?! Who am I!? Wait no, no no don’t answer that I know who _I_ am but who are _you_ and where are we and what _happened?_ Shit, shit _shit_ ohhh God. Oh God.

**The man begins pacing in front of her as she’s left dumbstruck. Haruko looks towards her smartphone again just to confirm: in the third slot, there’s his grayed face.**

HARUKO: (This guy… needs help.)

HARUKO: Don’t know, sorry. [shrugs]

??? (big dude): D-don’t gimme that shit! You obviously know more about this than I do, yer like… _calm!_

HARUKO: I guess. Probably. Well, we’ve all been kidnapped--

??? (big dude): [insanely loud] _KIDNAPPED?!?!_

HARUKO: [blinks] … _Ow_.

??? (big dude): S-sorry, sorry, sorry, fuck I’m sorry I shouldn’t have… [deep breath] That… prolly shoulda been obvious, now shouldn’t it.

HARUKO: (Looks like he’s calming down a little bit! That’s good!)

HARUKO: Yeah, I don’t blame you? Earlier I was _really stressed,_ I just woke up around… ten minutes ago? But I think I’ve gathered the general gist of our situation.

HARUKO: There are sixteen Ultimate students gathered at this general location, each of us was kidnapped and assigned a number by this weird app on our phones. Mine’s sixteen, and it looks like yours is three.

??? (big dude): Shit, they screwed with my phone!? That’s… fuck! [pulls it out of his pocket]

??? (big dude): [sighs] L-looks like yer tellin’ the truth… God… _shit!_ This is… FUCK!

HARUKO: I feel ya, buddy.

HARUKO: I’ve just been trying to figure out who everyone is, but… you’re only the third person I’ve met here. [chuckles]

??? (big dude): Oh… I should prolly mention that.

??? (big dude): My name’s Isamu Ryuuzaki. If we’re talkin’ Ultimates, then I’m a Firefighter.

**-ISAMU RYUUZAKI: Firefighter-**

****

HARUKO: (I thought firefighters were supposed to be, uh, _brave._ )

HARUKO: [holds out hand, smiles politely] Haruko Kamiki. Journalist.

ISAMU: Auh, you’re one’a them smart types, huh? I respect that. You’re gonna be a real big help gettin’ us outta here, I can feel it in my chest.

HARUKO: (Not your bones?)

HARUKO: I mean, I guess? I don’t really know what I could do to help, really, considering none of us can contact anyone.

ISAMU: NONE OF US CAN CONTACT ANYONE?!

HARUKO: (Hoo boy.)

**Haruko is about to say something when she hears Tae’s voice.**

TAE: Kamiki-chaaaan! Who’re you talking toooo?

HARUKO: Ou-san, we’re only a few feet away, you don’t have to yell…

ISAMU: U-uh, is this… this yer friend?

HARUKO: [scratches chin] Um… yeah. We knew each other before we got here.

ISAMU: Well, uh, hey there little lady, my name’s--

**An idea strikes Haruko just before the words leave his mouth.**

HARUKO: -- His name is Isamu Ryuuzaki, he’s the Ultimate Firefighter.

ISAMU: [more confused than annoyed] Scuse me?

HARUKO: Sorry, Ryuuzaki-san, I had to see if it worked.

HARUKO: Ou-san, can I see your smartphone for a second?

TAE: [tilts head] Uh, sure?

**Haruko carefully takes Tae’s phone and taps into the Students app. Sure enough, Isamu’s face is entirely colored in the third slot of sixteen.**

HARUKO: I knew it.

ISAMU: W-what’re you talkin’ about?

HARUKO: [hands TAE’s phone back] In order to get all the slots filled, all you need to do is learn someone’s name and talent, they don’t have to tell you themselves.

TAE: [tents hands cheerfully] Well that’s nice! How does that help us at all, though?

HARUKO: It doesn’t, but information is always an asset. Speaking of which, where’s Kaoru Teruya, Ultimate Stuffed Animal Collector?

**Haruko gestures for Isamu to check his phone.**

TAE: He’ll be over here in a sec. He wanted to play in the flowers.

ISAMU: [fist to chest, determined breathing] I’ll go get him, awright? You two little ladies go scurry on ‘bout to the rest of us, okay?

HARUKO: [cocks an eyebrow] Cool? You… do that.

TAE: See you later, Ryuuzaki-chaaan~!

**Isamu hurries over to the flowerbed while Haruko and Tae are left near the park.**

TAE: What a stalwart man, I bet he’s _lovely_ with kids.

HARUKO: [sarcastic] You into him?

TAE: [smiling serenely] Absolutely not~

HARUKO: [giggles] C’mon, let’s go check out that park. Looks like some people are having… _a time_ over there.

TAE: Is that boney guy stuck in a tree?

HARUKO: Oh my God he totally is.

**… … … … … …**

??? (stuck-in-tree): Hey. Wassup. Tree gang for life, ladies.

??? (redhead in suit): Ohohoho! Like I said, _so funny!_

**Haruko opens a fence-door to get into the park and makes a B-line for the boney man in the tree.** **  
****As mentioned, he’s thin and gangly, Haruko thinks he’s probably taller than she is, but isn’t sure, because he is in a tree. His black hair is long and somewhat fluffy, and he has a t-shirt with a frog on it. On his neck, there’s a pair of expensive looking headphones. He’s also wearing an open Hawaiian shirt and bright yellow crocs. One word sticks out in Haruko’s mind, “Eyesore.”**

HARUKO: (Oh boy.)

HARUKO: Hey, uh, how’d you even get up there?

??? (stuck-in-tree): Well, first I climbed up here for a goof, but then I realized that I’d probably break like, _seeeeven bones_ if I tried to get down? So I’ve decided that I’m just gonna be like, a hermit n’ shit and live with the squirrels. Gonna be the squirrel king. Squirrel gang, tree gang, what’s the difference? Coexist, my man.

??? (redhead in suit): Ohoho! Hohohoho!! The _squirrel king!_ How hilarious! _Ohoho!_

**Haruko hadn’t paid much attention to the girl below the tree, but it looks like she’s not even trying to help the tree man, and has mostly just been laughing at his attempts at humor.** **  
****The girl is red-haired with green eyes, and Haruko makes a note to herself that she looks foreign, and is probably at least part white. Her long, wavy hair is done in a ponytail that reaches her shoulder blades and she’s wearing a green suit accessorized with a fluffy jabot. Her shoes are brown and heeled enough to where Haruko winces at them.**

TAE: Kamiki-chan, I think these are crazy people.

HARUKO: [nods, turns away and projects her voice] Uh, there’s a firefighter here, so I’m pretty sure he can get you out! He should be comin’ back around pretty soon, so don’t get too worried, alright?

??? (stuck-in-tree): Oh naw, I’ll be fine! Being stuck in this tree for the rest of my life is probably gonna be a really thrilling journey. Like a juice cleanse, or intermittent fasting.

TAE: Those both cause eating disorders.

HARUKO: [quietly] I think he’s… joking? I think?

??? (stuck-in-tree): So, uh, who’re you guys? What’re you doin’ here?

HARUKO: I’m Haruko Kamiki, I’m a journalist, and this is Tae Ou. She’s an Ambassador. We’re all Ultimates, y’know, like you guys!

??? (redhead in suit): [catty smile] Oh? You’re both Ultimates? _Muy bien, petits chatons! Schön, Sie kennen zu lernen!_

HARUKO: Oh. You’re a polyglot. That’s your talent, right?

??? (redhead in suit): [waggles finger] Non non, darling, I’m a _Linguist._ There’s a difference, a big one, at that! I translate for events, make words for different languages, and I’ve contributed to _several_ different studies on the intricacies of human language.

HARUKO: Is that why you talk like a multicultural thesaurus?

??? (redhead in suit): Ohohoho! You are _so_ funny, little kitten! We’ll get along just fine, I can tell!

HARUKO: (Just what is her deal? She doesn’t seem… _malicious,_ she’s just very smug, and her vibe is pretty haughty overall. She reminds me of Tae… but, uh, white.)

HARUKO: Can I have your name, then?

??? (redhead in suit): No, but I can tell it to you. My name is…

??? (redhead in suit): Bronagh Aoibhinn O’Raifeartaigh-O’Sullivan.

TAE: ...

??? (stuck-in-tree): … 

HARUKO: … Bronuh Eevin O’Raffeirty O’Sullivan? Am I getting that right?

??? (redhead in suit): Close enough! Call me Sully, kitten.

**-BRONAGH AOIBHINN “SULLY” O’RAIFEARTAIGH-O’SULLIVAN: Linguist-**

****

HARUKO: (Sully O’Sullivan… I think I’ve seen her on campus some before, she’s one of the older students, I believe?)

TAE: [looks at phone, smiling innocently] I dunno much English, but your name looks like a typo.

SULLY: Ahhh, that’s because it is _not_ English, it’s Irish.

TAE: Ah, so you’re not an American, I take it?

SULLY: Not yet, _gatita._

HARUKO: (WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HEY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?)

HARUKO: Uh, how about you, tree guy? You have a name?

??? (stuck-in-tree): No, I was born without a face so my parents put off naming me at first, but then they eventually just forgot, so I just let people call me whatever they want. I’ve been known as Michelle, Sung-soo, Kai, and _this_ is my story. [mimes a generic pop-rock song]

HARUKO: What’s your name, smartass?

??? (stuck-in-tree): Soo-min Cho. I’m the Ultimate Freelance Artist, which basically means people ask me to draw shit for free, and then they get mad when I don’t.

**-SOO-MIN CHO: Freelance Artist-**

****

TAE: That’s not a Japanese name. Are you Korean?

SOO-MIN: [shrugs] I mean, yeah. How come you didn’t ask Sully over here what _she_ was? I smell favoritismmmm. 

HARUKO: Well, she’s… pretty obviously not Japanese.

TAE: [innocently] Yeah, she’s real white~

SULLY: Ohohoho! Stop, you’ll make me pull a muscle!

HARUKO: (Ultimates really _are_ weirdos, huh.)

**Haruko’s revelation is cut short by the sound of a gate opening behind her. Turning to the noise, she sees Kaoru piggy-back-riding Isamu into the park. Kaoru doesn’t look especially secure, not because Isamu’s grip is faulty, but because Kaoru may just crack into a million pieces at any moment.**

KAORU: K-Kamiki-san, help me.

ISAMU: [embarrassed] Sorry, that took a lot longer’n I expected! Kiddo’s real crafty.

TAE: [tilts head] You know he probably would have come a lot sooner if you hadn’t tried to carry him. I think you might be a little dull.

ISAMU: [pouts] … Just cuz you’re right doesn’t mean you hafta say it.

**Isamu sets the quivering Kaoru down and crosses his arms.**

SOO-MIN: [waves] YO! BIG DUDE! OVER HERE! You’re the firefighter they were talkin’ about, right? Just pretend I’m a really long skinny cat and get your ass over here!

ISAMU: Is-- is he stuck?

HARUKO: He’s really stuck.

**Isamu nods and takes the call to action, dashing towards the tree and climbing it to reach Soo-min.**

KAORU: [clutches stuffed cat] L-l-let’s leave b-before he tries to pick me up again… 

TAE: Okay! We’ve spent too much time around these weirdos anyway, no matter how lovely they are.

HARUKO: (Will I _ever_ know what the heck she’s talking about?)

HARUKO: Let’s go, then.

**… … … … … …**

KAORU: Um… what is this place?

HARUKO: It looks like… a pharmacy, I believe. Like, where you go to pick up medicine.

KAORU: [pulls scarf over face, embarrassed] Oh. My family just uses the drive-through… 

**The pharmacy sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the buildings. While most of them at least had the vibe of an old beach-town, the pharmacy’s cool colors and small size made it almost irritating. Like a small speck of food on an otherwise clean dish.**

TAE: Well, if there’s people inside, it’s probably worth checking out~

**Haruko nods and walks towards the building.**

???: AUGH!

**A tall, lanky man is shoved out the door, collapsing on the ground.**

KAORU: [squeaks] Ahh!!

TAE: [without missing a beat] Do you think he’s dead?

**Haruko is almost more surprised by Tae than she is the sudden man.**

HARUKO: W- _what!?_ No, he’s just on the ground!

HARUKO: Hey, you in the beanie, are you alright? [lends a hand]

??? (beanie): Y-yeah, I’m fine. [takes it]

??? (beanie): You might not wanna go in there, there’s sort of… an argument, going on. If you could even call it that.

KAORU: A-already?

??? (beanie): Haha… yep. It’s fine, though. They’re younger, they’ll grow out of it.

**Getting a closer look at the man, Haruko thinks he looks… strange. His black hair covers half of his face, leaving only one baggy brown eye in view, and he’s wearing a beanie of a specific color, probably something close to aquamarine. He wears overalls** **_over all_ ** **his clothes, which are a short button-up, a bow tie, as well as a decorative flower and goth stompers. This man, Haruko believes, is the definition of the word** **_eclectic._ **

TAE: What are they arguing about?

??? (beanie): Not sure, but I think it’s about medicine. One girl seems to know her stuff and wants to make sure the bottle’s safe, and the other _really_ wants whatever’s in it. [shrugs] It’ll probably be over soon.

??? (beanie): … Aw, jeez, I forgot to introduce myself, didn’t I? [tuts lips] Rude of me…

??? (beanie): I’m Shigeru Kohana. If you’re active on Hope’s Peak Messageboards, you might know I’m the Ultimate Environmentalist.

**-SHIGERU KOHANA: Environmentalist-**

****

SHIGERU: Now, who would you guys be?

TAE: [smiles] Well, for starters, we’re all Ultimates too, so you really didn’t need to mention that. I’m Tae Ou, Ambassador. The other girl is Kamiki-chan, and the one who looks like a baby is Teruya-chan.

HARUKO: And I’m a _journalist._ Don’t forget the most important part! Teruya-san over there collects stuffed animals too!

KAORU: W-what’s an environmentalist? Sorry… 

SHIGERU: Oh, no worries, I get asked all the time. I’m basically an activist for maintaining the environment, so I’m all about recycling and what-have-you. My talent is basically being a massive dweeby narc. [self-deprecating chuckle]

HARUKO: (Thanks for telling us?)

KAORU: [nods in understanding] I get it.

HARUKO: I think I wanna check out what’s going on in there, if you don’t mind. Teruya-san, do you wanna come?

KAORU: [meek] O-okay.

SHIGERU: [scratches back of neck] Yeah, sorry, I don’t wanna… disturb those two. Sorry, I think I’m better off checking around.

**Haruko nods towards Shigeru and walks into the pharmacy.**

**… … … … … …**

  
  


??? (pink and fashionable): QUIT ARMADILLOING YOU SHIT-FOR-BRAINS DOG DOCTOR!

??? (layered girl): H-how am I supposed to let you have this if you won’t even let me check if it’s safe?!

??? (pink and fashionable): [groans loudly] UGH, you are _such_ a little _brat_ , you know that? This would all be over and done with if you just _gave me the goddamn bottle!_

KAORU: … H-he wasn’t exaggerating, was he?

TAE: [scratches cheek] Doesn’t look like it.

**In front of Haruko are two girls (she assumes), one curled up in a ball on the floor, indignant and wearing several layers, and the other determined to get whatever the layered girl is hiding in her armadillo ball formation. The attacker is very feminine, with a sleeveless black dress and a massive fur coat slipped down her shoulders.**

??? (pink and fashionable): [tuts her lips] You know what, fuck this.

**The pink-haired girl straddles the other and does some sort of grotesque maneuver that almost counts as body horror and** **_somehow_ ** **plucks the orange, translucent bottle out of the stocky girl’s grasp.**

??? (layered girl): Th-the… ??!! H-how did you… ?

??? (pink and fashionable): [nonchalantly pops a shoulder back in place] Who cares. I win, you don’t, and that’s really all that matters here.

**The victor of this confrontation stuffs the bottle into her fur coat and turns on her sneakered heel to leave.**

??? (pink and fashionable): [stops abruptly in front of the group] What the hell are _you_ looking at?

KAORU: [quietly squeaks, moves behind HARUKO]

HARUKO: Sorry for uh, _interrupting_ whatever this is, but we’re trying to get everyone’s names and talents, just to… be prepared for the situation, y’know? You think you could oblige us? You’re clearly pretty talented given the uh… [searches for words] whatever that was.

??? (pink and fashionable): … [huffs, smiles smugly] Listen, I know you just came here to _gawk_ at all us freaks over here, but could you try to be a little less transparent about it?

??? (pink and fashionable): [glances down at KAORU] Especially you, blondie, you think you’re being subtle, but I’ve seen that trick more times than I can count.

KAORU: W-what?

HARUKO: Hey, we’re not--

??? (pink and fashionable): Yeah, whatever, save the shieldwork for later. You want my name, right?

??? (pink and fashionable): My name is Zenko Higuchi. Got that? _Zen. Ko. Higuchi._ Remember it so you can gossip about how big a piece of shit I am [smug smirk]. I’m the self-made Ultimate Contortionist, and I’m also… on my way out. Right now. Ciao~!

**-ZENKO HIGUCHI: Contortionist-**

****

**Zenko almost skips her way out of the pharmacy, and soon the entire crowd is just Haruko, Kaoru, Tae, and the girl lying on the floor.**

TAE: … She was bad.

KAORU: [hides in scarf] Y-yeah… last time I m-met her, she called me a twiggy little brat and rolled her eyes r-really hard at me…

TAE: You’ve met, then?

KAORU: Only a few times… I-I just don’t know what her p-problem is… 

HARUKO: [shrugs] Who knows, more importantly, she’s in our apps now, so we won’t have to worry about her anymore.

HARUKO: [points at armadillo girl] … Do you think she’s doing alright?

TAE: [blinks] Oh, yeah, her. She might need a minute.

HARUKO: I’m gonna go check on her.

**Haruko walks over to the armadillo girl and crouches down.**

HARUKO: [softly] Are you okay?

??? (layered girl): … Sure. J-just hope she doesn’t die in a ditch somewhere, th-that’d be inconvenient for all of us.

HARUKO: Let’s not talk about her-- how about you? What’s your name, talent?

??? (layered girl): …

??? (layered girl): [pushes herself off the ground in a huff] M-my name is Ai Imada. I-I’m the Ultimate Veterinarian. I-I treat _animals,_ so don’t expect me to help y-you humans when you start _torturing_ each other.

**-AI IMADA: Veterinarian-**

****

**Her words are said with a venomous tone, but they don’t carry the same anger that you might think.**

HARUKO: (You humans…?)

HARUKO: Um, sorry, what did I do?

AI: [pulls hood down] N-nothing. Not yet, anyway.

HARUKO: (Oh great, they’re _both_ touchy, defensive grumps.)

HARUKO: Well I can promise you that we’re not gonna do anything intentionally. I dunno if that’s good enough for you, but it’s what I can do.

AI: W-whatever. It’s fine. Just l-leave me alone and neither of us’ll bother each other. 

HARUKO: (It’s a little disheartening to hear, but I can’t really argue with it. She at least seems… earnest, even if that makes her kinda mean.)

HARUKO: Alright. [turns to the group] Let’s go, guys.

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko walks out the door with Kaoru and Tae.**

HARUKO: Well, that was eventful. Where do you think we should check?

TAE: I don’t really care, I’m just glad the worst is probably over.

KAORU: How about w-we talk to that tall lady over there? The one in the hood.

**Kaoru is pointing towards a tall willowy figure with a startling mass of wavy black hair. She’s wearing a straight white dress and an aqua colored riding hood, pacing the perimeter of a series of beach cabins.**

TAE: Oh! We haven’t met her yet, right?

HARUKO: I don’t… think so, no, she doesn’t look familiar.

KAORU: S-so it’s perfect! [starts walking towards her]

HARUKO: Hey, wait, Teruya-san--... [sighs]

TAE: … Were you even gonna disagree?

HARUKO: What? Well… No, I wasn’t.

TAE: So… what’s the big deal? [shrugs and follows after KAORU]

**… … … … … …**

KAORU: Uh… hello, ma’am.

??? (tall): Huh? [looks to KAORU] Oh. Hello there!

**The woman’s voice is high and sweet. It sounds like a morning songbird.**

HARUKO: [just got here] Yeah, hi-- we were just wondering your name and talent? We’re trying to find everyone in this place and get them to show up on our app-- the one that showed up on your phone.

??? (tall): [confused] An app showed up on my phone?

**The tall girl takes a tiny phone out of her riding hood’s pocket and swipes up.**

??? (tall): Oh dear… I guess you’re right. [sighs] That’s no good at all… the app on here-- it documents students, right?

TAE: Only when you hear someone’s name and talent, though.

??? (tall): I see. I’ll give you mine, then.

??? (tall): My name is Yumi Ogasawara, and I’m the Ultimate Volunteer.

**-YUMI OGASAWARA: Volunteer-**

****

HARUKO: (Yumi Ogasawara… I’ve heard that name before!)

HARUKO: Hold on, are you the same Yumi Ogasawara that almost turned down an invitation to Hope’s Peak?

YUMI: [nods] Yes. Apparently, I was the first one ever since it became a University!

HARUKO: Well… if you’re here now, I’m guessing you accepted?

YUMI: [puts hands together] Oh, absolutely! I was worried that attending might get in the way of my volunteer work, but it was quite the opposite-- the Academy makes so much time for me to volunteer, sometimes I forget I’m a student!

TAE: [rolls eyes] That _does_ sound like Hope’s Peak.

KAORU: W-well… I don’t get it, but you sound really happy about… volunteering.

HARUKO: (Yeah, you’d _have_ to be if you wanna refuse something like that. Even if you hate Hope’s Peak’s guts, it’s a guaranteed life of success if you graduate. She must be insane, or just kind of a ditz.)

YUMI: So, I’m guessing you’re the ones who’ve been searching around? I’ve been hearing about you for… about twenty minutes now.

HARUKO: W-wait, are people talking about us?

YUMI: Well of course! Most of the others are just sticking to one place, I think you three might be the only ones trying to learn more about this… situation.

HARUKO: (That’s… _weird…_ Why isn’t anyone else trying to learn about where we are? I get that everyone’s afraid, but… isn’t fear supposed to spur you into action?)

TAE: Who even told you, actually? We haven’t met that many people.

YUMI: Oh, my apologies-- it was that plain-looking man with the knit cap. He seemed pretty pleased someone was taking initiative.

HARUKO: Kohana-kun was talking about us?

YUMI: Well, I think so. I actually heard it from someone else, a very large gentleman who mentioned that Kohana-sama was talking about you.

HARUKO: (So that’s the definition of a third-person story… wait, Kohana- _sama?)_

KAORU: O-oh. So Ryuuzaki was talking about us.

YUMI: [taps chin] No, no, no. [pouts] The man I’m talking about is much more… _circumferally gifted_ than Ryuuzaki-sama. What was his name… Takeyama? No, no… 

HARUKO: (There’s that honorific again! Is she being sarcastic, or is she just overcompensating?)

TAE: Heheheh~ That’s the most roundabout way of saying ‘fat’ I’ve ever heard. It’s not a bad word, Ogasawara-chan!

YUMI: [changing the subject] Um… I suppose you haven’t met him yet. Would you like to know where he is?

**Haruko checks her smartphone-- there’s only five spaces left unfilled in the Students app: two, eight, eleven, thirteen, fourteen.**

HARUKO: Sure. I wouldn’t mind a few pointers, I wanna fill out this app thing as quick as possible.

YUMI: Understood, right this way… [gestures]

HARUKO: Oh! Uh, Kamiki. Haruko Kamiki. Journalist. That’s Teruya-san, and there’s Ou-san.

YUMI: [smiles gently] Right this way, Kamiki-sama.

HARUKO: (I guess that’s just how she talks. Better get used to it quick.)

**… … … … … …**

**After climbing the stairs, Yumi rushes towards the door to what Haruko assumes is a restaurant, or maybe a hotel.**

YUMI: Would you like me to hold the door open?

HARUKO: … It’s already open, Ogasawara-san.

YUMI: … I didn’t hear a _no._

**Yumi holds the door open even more** . **The handle bumps on the wood of the wall behind it.**

KAORU: … U-uh… Ogasawara-san… you r-really don’t have to do that… 

YUMI: [nods] Uh-huh.

TAE: Just go with it, Teruya-chan.

**Tae walks through the door with a slight bow to Yumi, and the others awkwardly follow suit.**

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko’s assumption is correct, the interior looks like a typical dining room for a hotel, full of circular tables and stools.**

HARUKO: (I feel like someone’s eaten a really good plate of waffles here before.)

HARUKO: So, where’s this guy that was talking about us?

YUMI: Well, Kohana-sama is at the beach, but--

HARUKO: [waves awkwardly] U-uh, no, I mean… the other one.

YUMI: [tilts head, pokes cheek] _But,_ the other one is in the kitchen… which is just over there. [gestures to another door in the room]

HARUKO: Oh, if you learned his name, it should be on your phone.

YUMI: Oh! Let me… check that.

YUMI: [looks at phone] Mm… Kurosawa-samaa!

???: [from the other room] Whaat?

YUMI: We’re coming iin! [opens the door]

**Haruko and the others follow the tall woman into the kitchen, where they’re greeted by two men of vastly different characters.**

YUMI: [smiles] Kurosawa-sama, Tachibana-sama. These three would like to talk to you.

??? (checkerboard): Oh, are these the same people Kohana-san was talking about?

**The first is a slight man with long brown hair tied into an odd braid. He wears a checkerboard-pattern sweater and brown slacks. He has round glasses, and there’s a bag slung around his shoulder. Currently, he’s searching through the cupboards.**

HARUKO: (That guy… I’ve seen him in the media center! He stays around the nonfiction sections, I believe.)

??? (massive man): Prolly! Shig mentioned one of ‘em was real short n’ blond, so this’s gotta be them!

**The other is a man who’s anything** **_but_ ** **slight. He’s a tall, broad fat man wearing a hoodie under a camo jacket. Under his hat his head is completely shaved, and he appears to be wearing a singlet underneath all those jackets. He’s stuffing something into his pockets.**

YUMI: I-is this really the time to look for food?

??? (massive man): [incredulously] Uh, _shyeah!_ I dunno how long we’re gunna be stuck here for, so we gotta figure out what we got, y’know?

??? (checkerboard): [pushes up glasses] Plus, food is good.

??? (massive man): [chuckles dopily] That too.

YUMI: [giggles politely] Can’t argue with that.

KAORU: [squints and clutches plushie] I-I think you can go without it for a _l-little bit._ J-just a thought.

??? (massive man): Aw, naw, naw, I can’t do that. Gotta keep the gainz consistent, y’know? Gotta keep bulkin’.

KAORU: Y-you’ve _clearly_ done enough of that--

**Tae punches him upside the head. It doesn’t seem like she’s holding back, but she doesn’t seem very strong either.**

HARUKO: (W-what the hell?! Ou-san?!)

TAE: [cheerfully] Please excuse Teruya-chan, he’s only eleven years old, so he’s acting out in a strange situation!

KAORU: [tearfully] I-I’m eighteen!!

??? (massive man): N-naw, it’s fine. I’ve heard _way_ worse than that before. ‘Specially in my line o’ work.

??? (checkerboard): [cautious] Which is…? 

??? (massive man): … [contemplates for a few seconds] OH! Sorry, sorry, _totally_ forgot! Huhuh.

??? (massive man): My name’s Yoshijirou Tachibana! I’m a wrestler.

**-YOSHIJIROU TACHIBANA: Wrestler-**

****

HARUKO: [readying notes] What kind of wrestling do you specialize in, Tachibana-san? Greco-roman? Sumo? Pro?

YOSHIJIROU: [embarrassed] I-I’m not a sumo wrestler…

HARUKO: (Aaah, he’s a little sensitive. That’s annoying, but whatever.)

YOSHIJIROU: But, ah, my specialization is freestyle! [thumbs up] I’m not super popular or anything, but I’m pretty good!

YUMI: [taps lips] Freestyle is the academic kind, right?

YOSHIJIROU: Ehh, it’s not that simple, but… basically!

TAE: [turns to the other] What about you?

??? (checkerboard): … Huh?

TAE: [scratches cheek] Like, what’s with you, y’know? What’s your deal?

??? (checkerboard): I… I don’t…?

HARUKO: She-- she means your name and your talent, I believe.

??? (checkerboard): Oh. [chuckles awkwardly] Well, my name is Naoki Kurosawa. My talent is… I’m a criminologist.

**-NAOKI KUROSAWA: Criminologist-**

****

  
  


KAORU: W-what does that mean?

NAOKI: Well, It means that I… study criminology.

KAORU: …

NAOKI: Criminology is the study of crime! Liiiiiike, reasons why people commit crimes, how to prevent crime, their motivations… all that stuff. [adjusts glasses]

TAE: So why do you think someone kidnapped us?

NAOKI: … This _is_ a kidnapping, isn't it?

NAOKI: Well… most kidnapping cases have a motive related to the victims themselves or monetary value. Obviously we all have a thread in that we’re Hope’s Peak students, but I think this might go a little deeper than that…

NAOKI: If I had to guess, we’re being held for ransom.

HARUKO: (Ransom…)

**For some reason, a pit opened in Haruko’s stomach that she couldn’t quite explain. Were they all kidnapped for money? That doesn’t make any sense.**

HARUKO: But _clearly_ the person operating this has a ton of money! Why would they need more?

NAOKI: That’s… actually not necessarily the case.

HARUKO: … Go on.

NAOKI: Well, money was just a guess, but that’s not the only reason people kidnap, yeah? There’s also other reasons. Like, “if you don’t sign the contract we’re keeping them”, or something like that. Kidnapping can be a way to force someone’s hand…

NAOKI: Though, usually, the hostages are in pretty immediate danger if that’s the case.

NAOKI: Truth be told, I don’t really know _what_ the kidnapper’s motivation could possibly be. I need more info for that, but something tells me we’re not gonna be getting it anytime soon.

HARUKO: [scratches back of neck] I guess that makes sense, yeah… I just want some answers.

NAOKI: Don’t worry, I’m sure _someone’s_ looking for us. I mean, sixteen Hope’s Peak students disappearing all of a sudden is… a big problem, right?

YOSHIJIROU: [stretches] Not much we can do fer now except wait it out…

YOSHIJIROU: … And, well, raid the fridge.

NAOKI: Yeah, that too.

YUMI: Does the fridge have any grapes?

**Haruko nods towards the group in the kitchen and walks out. Uncertain and worried, she checks her smartphone.**

HARUKO: (I see… so Tachibana was eight, and Kurosawa was thirteen. That means that the ones left are…)

TAE: Kamiki-chan, where are you headed?

HARUKO: There’s still three people we haven’t met. Two, eleven and fourteen. I wanna meet everyone here as quickly as possible.

TAE: [absentmindedly tilts head] I guess that’s fine, but you probably shouldn’t leave Teruya-chan behind. He’s been out of it ever since I clocked him.

HARUKO: [squinting awkwardly] Seriously, why did you do that?

TAE: [blunt] He annoys me… so I felt like punching him. And then I did.

HARUKO: Jesus.

TAE: What?

HARUKO: You can’t just punch people because they annoy you! Aren’t you supposed to be the _master_ of diplomacy? He’s clearly just… scared, y’know?

TAE: Clearly he’s not scared enough. Of me, specifically. Diplomacy is a lot of effort, Kamiki-chan, that’s why it’s a job. No one’s paying me to diplomacize Teruya, so I didn’t. And I won’t. Because I don’t like him.

HARUKO: What did he even do to you?

TAE: Nothing, I just don’t like him. Did you hear how he talked about Tachibana-san? It was _very_ rude for no real reason.

HARUKO: So you punched him?

TAE: So I punched him. It did shut him up, y’know? You can’t fault me for using a solution that works.

HARUKO: Ou-san, I… Okay, I’ll get him. I’ll bring him with us… wait-- why do _you_ want to bring him along if you don’t like him!?

TAE: Because he’ll be totally lost without someone to help him around, and that won’t be good for anyone here. He’s clearly got some emotional issues.

TAE: Granted, emotional issues don’t excuse judging someone based off their appearance, but they do deserve a small amount of sympathy.

**Haruko blinks, she’s somewhat stunned by Tae’s words.**

HARUKO: (She’s usually so… ditzy… this is so unlike her… I guess this situation has gotten under her skin too.)

HARUKO: Okay. I’m getting him.

TAE: [jubilant] Yay! Now I can hit him if he starts being weird again!

HARUKO: P-please don’t…

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko eventually gets Kaoru out of the kitchen and heads out of the dining area with the two in tow.**

TAE: Kamiki-chan, where haven’t we checked?

HARUKO: Looks like there’s a big place over there. You think that’s where the rest of ‘em are holed up?

KAORU: I-I dunno… that’d be kinda convenient.

HARUKO: I mean, obviously there could be someone else outside there, but that place is probably our biggest lead.

KAORU: So… we should go in there anyway?

TAE: Yup.

**… … … … … …**

TAE: … A supermarket?

HARUKO: Uh, looks like it, I think.

TAE: Oh good. I haven't been to very many, so I wasn’t really sure.

KAORU: W-who hasn’t been to a supermarket…?

TAE: I’ve been to a _few_ supermarkets, but I’ve never been the one to really… _shop,_ for myself, I guess? [crosses her arms] My parents are rich, Teruya, they don’t know what food stamps are.

HARUKO: [crosses arms] Of course they don’t.

**Haruko looks around the supermarket for anyone that might be there-- it’s a large building with high ceilings and fluorescent lights that reflect on the white floors. Even though she knows it’s not true, Haruko thinks that this place has basically everything you could ever need.**

HARUKO: ... Found one.

KAORU: Huh?

HARUKO: Look up, Teruya-san.

**Above them is a lithe, pale figure in baggy clothes sitting on one of the aisle walls.**

HARUKO: HEY! You, up there! Can you hear us?!

??? (baggy clothes): [looks in HARUKO’s direction] …?

HARUKO: Yeah, you! Come down here, we wanna talk to you!

???: That’s… really not gonna be worth it.

**Haruko turns in the direction of the voice-- her left, specifically, and spots someone new. It’s a short, dark-skinned man with sort of broad shoulders, dyed hair a hoodie, and a denim vest. His most striking feature, though, is his sunglasses. They’re rested on his forehead in the shape of stars.**

KAORU: W-why not…?

??? (sunglasses): They… really just wanna stay up there, for some reason? I dunno why, though… Guess they like the view. Can’t really blame ‘em for that.

??? (baggy clothes): Sooorry. [giggles] I don’t really plan on coming down anytime soon.

??? (sunglasses): Oh hey, you actually talk.

??? (baggy clothes): Yeah, I really just didn’t have the energy earlier. Soz. [stretches]

??? (sunglasses): [awkwardly scratches back of neck] Can’t fault you for that either. That’d make me a hypocrite.

HARUKO: (Hmm… well, whatever. I don’t need that one to be on the ground to get their name.)

HARUKO: Could you tell me your name, at least? [looks at the other one] You too.

??? (baggy clothes): Mm… Yeah, I guess so. What’s the harm?

??? (baggy clothes): I’m Xiaolu Ren. Ultimate Hacker.

**-XIAOLU REN: Hacker-**

****

KAORU: H-hacker? Isn’t that a crime?!

XIAOLU: What? No way. Black hats and gray hats are the ones who are breaking the law, not white hats.

HARUKO: … So you’re a White hat?

XIAOLU: I didn’t say that.

??? (sunglasses): A criminal at Hope’s Peak? Do they even allow that?

XIAOLU: Oh totally. But only if you’re _really_ good.

XIAOLU: … I’m _really really_ good.

HARUKO: (I think I might have heard of them before… I’d heard rumors of a hacker who got accepted into Hope’s Peak after successfully breaking into their network… or however you say that.)

HARUKO: Wait, are you foreign? Xiaolu doesn’t sound very Japanese.

XIAOLU: I mean, I guess. I was born in China, but I only stayed there for… _a month,_ so I’ve been a Japanese citizen most of my life.

??? (sunglasses): Oh, so we have that in common… not the, uh, China thing, the… foreign… thing.

KAORU: A-are you foreign too?

??? (sunglasses): Ayup. I’m from America, but my family’s Brazilian.

??? (sunglasses): My… my name’s Connor Barros. I’m the Ultimate Astronomer, believe it or not.

**-CONNOR BARROS: Astronomer-**

****

****

XIAOLU: [bored, hand on jaw] Judging by how you talk, I’m gonna guess you haven’t been here for very long.

CONNOR: Aheh… y-yeah… my Japanese isn’t great, sorry. Plus it’s kinda hard remembering what words to use when I’m all… scatterbrained, like this.

HARUKO: I… honestly didn’t take you for the academic type.

CONNOR: Who does, right? I don’t exactly go outta my way to look all… smart.

CONNOR: [muttering to himself] Maybe I’d look hot in some glasses, though…

HARUKO: Well, either way, thanks for cooperating.

HARUKO: The three of us are trying to meet everyone on this island, and right now we’re only missing one person.

CONNOR: The three of you?

HARUKO: … Yeah. The three of us.

XIAOLU: [amused] There’s two of you, dude.

HARUKO: What? No, there’s--

**Haruko circumspects the room to look for her travelling companions-- but she only finds Kaoru.**

HARUKO: UGH. She _always_ does this!

KAORU: D-does what…?

HARUKO: Every time we talk, she ends the conversation by randomly disappearing! I just thought she’d, y’know, _not_ do that when we’ve been friggin’ kidnapped!

XIAOLU: Yowzers.

CONNOR: Yeah I have no idea who you’re talking about.

HARUKO: Her name’s Ou. Short hair, short… body, kinda choppy, wears a suit jacket?

CONNOR: You’re not ringing any bells, sorry.

HARUKO: … Whatever. She’ll probably be fine. She likes alone time. Teruya-san?

KAORU: Mm?

HARUKO: Let's look for two, alright?

KAORU: Y-yeah. Okay.

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: I don’t know where we haven’t checked, though!

KAORU: M-maybe those trees over there? Or the beach?

HARUKO: Probably… which one do you wanna check first?  
  


KAORU: Uh… you pick, I-I hate both of those places.

HARUKO: You don’t like the beach?

KAORU: T-too much sand… And the forest has spiders… they’re both so uncomfortable… I hate them.

HARUKO: Guess you don’t get out much.

KAORU: You d-don’t have to say it like that! Outside is so… uncomfortable. I c-can’t believe anyone would prefer it to the inside… 

**Haruko is about to say something in response, but she hears something from behind her and turns towards it.**

HARUKO: … Oh.

**There’s a groggy woman putting her head in her hand, groaning to herself. She’s wearing very urban clothes, which go strangely with her long blonde hair and blue eyes. Her body is clearly built more for practicality than slimness. Not to say Haruko finds her unattractive, of course. The woman definitely thinks she’s good-looking, as she’s wearing a cropped hoodie that shows off her midriff.**

HARUKO: [runs over to her] H-hey! Are you okay?

??? (midriff girl): [in english] W-what?

HARUKO: Do you speak Japanese?

??? (midriff girl): [in japanese] Uh… y-yeah. I… do. What’s… what’s happening?

HARUKO: Sorry to say, but… you’ve been kidnapped. There are sixteen of us, including you, and if my intuition is correct, I think you’re the last one up.

??? (midriff girl): … _Shit._ I-I just… I just woke up over there… why would someone wanna kidnap me…?

HARUKO: (So she was behind the church the whole time…?)

HARUKO: Would you mind telling me your name and talent? We can get you to some of the others pretty soon, but you’re the only person I haven’t met.

??? (midriff girl): … Fuck it, sure, whatever. [slightly less tired] I’m… I’m Noelle.

??? (midriff girl): [blinks, shakes her head] Noelle Iwanami. I’m the Ultimate Protestor.

**-NOELLE IWANAMI: Protestor-**

****

HARUKO: (A protestor… I might have heard something about that.)

HARUKO: Iwanami… are you Japanese?

NOELLE: Yeah, but I’m from America. [gestures to her hair] I dyed this shit, dude. These’re contacts too.

HARUKO: Aah, I see… I’m assuming you moved here for Hope’s Peak?

NOELLE: [scratches head] Somethin’ like that, yeah… Felt like the benefits outweighed the costs, y’know?

HARUKO: [nods] I understand. I’ll bring you to some other people now, okay? They should be able to get you some food and water so you can calm your senses. This situation is… stressful, so just… take it easy.

NOELLE: [nods absently] I… I got it. Thanks… what’s your name?

HARUKO: My name is Haruko Kamiki. I’m a journalist, and I’m attending Hope’s Peak too… I think you might be in the grade above mine, though.

NOELLE: Heh. Prob’ly… now, uh, what’s this about food and water?

KAORU: And maybe even some actual clothes.

HARUKO: Teruya-san.

KAORU: [hides behind plushie] S-sorry… 

HARUKO: Okay, you can walk, right? It should be right over there-- the big place with the stairs. It’s got a kitchen, and there should be a few people in there that can get you acquainted.

NOELLE: … Got it. Thanks, Kamiki.

**Noelle walks away towards the dining hall (as Haruko had taken to calling it), slow but steady, like a blonde tortoise.**

**As she walks steadily towards the stairs, Haruko hears a noise.**

??? (intercom): Yooo, wassup!

**It’s high and childish, not quite feminine or masculine. Haruko doesn’t know why, but there’s something about the voice that puts her on edge. Like hearing laughter at a riot while people are being beaten to a bloody pulp.**

KAORU: … K-Kamiki-san… what was that?

**Haruko can’t answer before it continues.**

??? (intercom): Soo, now that one of the requirements has been fulfilled… I can finally meet you guys! Numbers one through sixteen, come gather at the stage in the middle of the island! Don’t be shy, it’ll be super fun!

??? (intercom): … If you do it right.

??? (intercom): If you don’t come, though, who knows what might happen to you? Well, I do! I know.

**Even though hearing the number “sixteen” makes her blood run cold, the sound of slight static brings Haruko to attention.**

HARUKO: (That was a recording? It had to be. No… not a recording, it’s an announcement. An announcement on an intercom.)

HARUKO: … We should probably go.

KAORU: [shakily] I… I-I don’t want to.

HARUKO: You heard what it said,it’s probably best not to risk anything.

**Noelle appears to be back from her ever-so-short trip.**

NOELLE: H-hey! What the hell was that about!?

HARUKO: We don’t know! I don’t think any of us have heard that before now!

NOELLE: Dammit… dammit, what the hell? What’s going on with this friggin’ place?!

**Haruko has no idea how to respond.**

YUMI: Um… e-excuse me, Kamiki-sama, Teruya-sama? The stage is over there. [gestures] I-I think we should… go there.

NOELLE: And just obey the dude who probably kidnapped us?!

YUMI: [calm] If he kidnapped us, then he probably won’t have any qualms doing worse. We shouldn’t play riskily.

YUMI: I’m scared too, but… I could escort you, if you like… Miss.

NOELLE: [terse] Noelle Iwanami.

YUMI: [bows] Iwanami-sama.

KAORU: … Let’s… go.

**Haruko shakily walks towards the stage-- as the intercom said, it’s in the middle of the island, raised and easy to notice.**

**… … … … … …**

MIZUKI: Do you think… that was the person who kidnapped us?

**Most of the remaining Students have gathered around the stage, idly chattering to ease the fear they all feel.**

ZENKO: Well _obviously!_ I dunno who else would be able to use that thing, but if they’re not the kidnapper then they’re _definitely_ related!

ISAMU: [fidgeting shakily] S-shit, man, I just hope they let us go… 

NAOKI: That’s… doubtful? Unless they’ve already gotten their goal, then… [huffs] This is just a… not great situation.

AI: What ‘goal’ could someone even have for s-something like this… spite?

SULLY: [strangely serious] _C'est une pensée futile._ Their goal doesn’t matter, really. [plays with an earring] Just so long as we’re alright, I really couldn’t give a damn why someone would make this.

YUMI: Sully-sama… you’re aware we can’t understand when you use foreign words, right?

SULLY: [catty grin] Yes.

CONNOR: Forget that! What’s takin’ ‘em so long…? They told us to meet up here, and we have, so it’s… rude to keep us waiting.

ZENKO: You know what _else_ I would call rude? _Fucking kidnapping,_ dipshit.

CONNOR: [scratches back of neck] You… make a good point, yeah… 

**Haruko and Kaoru are in the crowd, not talking very much, just observing the others conversations.**

TAE: Hello~

HARUKO: OU-SAN!

TAE: Hm? What’s wrong?

HARUKO: You went missing less than ten minutes ago! We were _worried!_

HARUKO: (Or, well… I tried to be.)

TAE: You shouldn’t have been. I wander off sometimes, that’s part of my charm. One of my many endearing character traits, y’know?

HARUKO: NOT WHEN WE’VE BEEN FUCKING KIDNAPPED!?

MIZUKI: [winces and covers her ears]

TAE: Quiet doooown Kamiki-chan! You’re gonna worry people even more.

HARUKO: I-I know, just… where _were_ you?

TAE: The forest. It gets very interesting once you’re deep enough in there.

HARUKO: … [sighs] Thanks for telling me. Sorry for… yelling.

TAE: No, I’m the one who should be saying sorry.

HARUKO: What?

TAE: I’m not so socially illiterate that I think wandering off is just fine. I know it’s pretty rude… so, sorry about that. I’ll try to do it less… around you.

HARUKO: (Why does she always manage to surprise me with _everything?_ Can’t she just be predictable for once?!)

HARUKO: … Thanks.

**The chatter continues for a while, Haruko doesn’t say anything either. She simply takes some deep breaths and waits for the announcement to play its course.**

**All attempts at communication are broken up by a sound that Haruko can only describe as ‘train-like.’**

HARUKO: GAAAH!!?

**If anyone else responded, Haruko didn’t hear them. All she hears is the sound blaring from the intercom for what must be three seconds… until it quiets down.**

INTERCOM: Okay, that got your attention? Good, cuz we’re about to start!

**There’s another sound.**

YOSHIJIROU: W-what the hell is that…?

SHIGERU: Is that… a drumroll?

**Like the buildup to the reveal of royalty, a drumroll has started playing, progressively snowballing louder and louder again.**

**And it stops.**

**And that’s the worst part.**

**A tiny, multicolored ball is seemingly catapulted from within the stage and continues flipping and flipping until it lands perfectly on the front of the stage, dangling its monochrome feet like a child in a chair that’s too big.**

HARUKO: What… the…?

**The true identity of the spinning ball is a small, chubby thing that looks like a stuffed animal. It can’t be more than three or four feet tall. It looks like you took a stuffed panda and inverted half of its colors. The thing carries a small sprig in its mouth that makes Haruko think of a bamboo stalk. The bear, if it even is one, sits there aimlessly wiggling its legs around on the edge of the stage.**

???: Surpriiiiise!!

**It’s the same voice as the one on the intercom. Haruko’s stomach feels like it’s about to implode.**

SULLY: …

NAOKI: … 

HARUKO: …

YUMI: … What… _is_ it?

KAORU: I-it looks like a bear… But I dunno. Not even pandas look like _that._

???: Well yes, I _am_ a bear! I’m the best bear there ever was, is, or will be! ‘Monobear’ for you weirdo Americans, but for us normal people, just call me Monokuma!

NAOKI: Mono… kuma?

MONOKUMA: That’s right, Monokuma! I was named after my father, so technically I’m Monokuma eye-eye! Monokuma the Second!

YUMI: I think I agree with Teruya-sama… it looks much more like a ‘panda’ than any average bear.

MONOKUMA: I’m not an _it,_ Bishop! I’m a he! A him! A ‘your majesty’ or a ‘your highness’!

YUMI: [clearly not processing anything] I-I apologize for being rude, but, um… Bishop?

MONOKUMA: Yeah, Bishop! That’s you! I’ve given you all some lovely nicknames that aren’t those old numbers, y’know? There’s Paparazzi, River spirit, Flower Child, Boulderboobs, Litterbox, Clausette, those are you, my wonderful Students!

AI: [very offended] L-Litterbox?!

MONOKUMA: Hey, when did I say that was you? I mean, _it is,_ but you didn’t hafta act so offended by it!

NAOKI: Okay, spit it out: _are you the one who brought us here?_

MONOKUMA: Mmm… In a sense, yeah.

YOSHIJIROU: I fuckin’ knew it.

NOELLE: Why the hell should we just stand around and listen to you, huh?

MONOKUMA: Hmmmmmm?

**Noelle angrily stomps towards the stage Monokuma is on.**

NOELLE: I woke up _twenty minutes ago_ and I learn that I’ve been kidnapped, _fifteen_ other people have _also been fucking kidnapped,_ and that the one who did it is just some weirdo’s goddamn plushie! So, quite frankly, I’ve had it up to here with your newspaper-colored face bein’ shoved up my ass!

MONOKUMA: Wooahhhhh, you’re pretty feisty today, aren’t cha?

NOELLE: [seething] Ohoho you bet your _Peanuts-lookin’ ass_ I am! Why the hell do you think you can get away with hidin’ behind your _favowite widdle shtuffie_ so you don’t hafta deal with the consequences of _kidnapping sixteen fucking people!_

MONOKUMA: Oh I love this part.

NOELLE: So _quit being a coward_ and show us your _ugly-ass face!_ That’s the _least_ you could do for us!

MONOKUMA: …

NOELLE: Hah. Got nothin’ to say? Well, guess that’s my cue--

**Noelle reaches for Monokuma plush body on the edge of the stage.**

**Haruko only hears what happens the second after that-- several different sharp, steel sounds. Like a sword being drawn multiplied by twenty-five. Haruko looks up in stunned silence, not even processing the scene before her.**

**Noelle Iwanami is currently being held in one singular position by dozens upon dozens of sharp, spear-like objects all coming from the ground beneath her.**

NOELLE: [stunned, afraid] …

MONOKUMA: Let’s hold a pop quiz. Don’t worry class, it’s only two questions, so it shouldn’t be hard.

MONOKUMA: Question one. How much force does it take to pierce a human skull?

MONOKUMA: Is it A, not that much, B, a lot, or C, something considerable?

**No one answers.**

MONOKUMA: Very good, class, the answer was A, not that much.

NOELLE: A… Ahh... ?

MONOKUMA: Question two. If I were to put a spear into Clausette’s skull here, would she die?

MONOKUMA: Is it A, yes, B, no, or C, probably.

**The silence answers for him.**

MONOKUMA: Right again, class. The answer was A, yes.

MONOKUMA: So, as a summary, the human skull doesn’t take much force to penetrate, and if I were to put a spear into Clausette’s brain, she would die.

MONOKUMA: I have one bonus question for you, class.

MONOKUMA: What is two plus two?

HARUKO: (... …. … … … … … … …)

MONOKUMA: Very good, class. two plus two equals: “There is nothing stopping me from killing Noelle Iwanami right now.”

MONOKUMA: Do you have this memorized?

YUMI: [horrified, nods] …

NOELLE: … I-I… I d…

MONOKUMA: Okay. That’s it.

**Noelle drops to the floor as all of the spears retract, leaving holes in the dirt they came from. She gasps for air like a would-be drowned corpse. She gasps and sputters and wheezes even though her breathing wasn’t even impaired by the spears.**

HARUKO: W-what… what the hell?

YOSHIJIROU: [quiet] What the fuck is wrong with you…?

MONOKUMA: [giddy] Well, I’m a monster, just so you know! Torture and death are my favorite things in the world, music means nothing to me and I love love _love_ betrayal!

SULLY: [covering mouth] _Gott im Himmel_ … 

ZENKO: … Holy shit.

MONOKUMA: Now, will you all listen for a second? Just remember, I can kill any one of you, and there’s not much stopping me.

MONOKUMA: First off, I’m gonna explain **the rules** to the game you’re about to play! Yaay!

TAE: A… A game? We’re gonna play a game?

MONOKUMA: Yup yup yupperooni! You’re gonna play a game that risks your lives!

**Haruko almost doesn’t feel her stomach drop from that. She already knew. She knew the second the spears showed up that she’s in danger too.**

MONOKUMA: Now, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but… there’s no way off this here island!

SOO-MIN: We’ve _noticed._

MONOKUMA: … EVER!

HARUKO: …

ISAMU: W-WHAT?! NO, NO Y-YOU’VE GOTTA BE FUCKIN’ WITH US, RIGHT?!

MIZUKI: That-- that… can’t be true… 

MONOKUMA: It’s true alright! Try as you might, there’s no way to escape this island without graduating!

CONNOR: … Graduating?

MONOKUMA: Yup, graduating! As in, graduating from a peaceful citizen to a monstrous Werewolf… I’m kidding, that’s a whole different game!

MONOKUMA: The game we’re playing focuses on two groups, the Blackened, and the Spotless.

MONOKUMA: Every time a Student becomes Blackened, the remaining Students gather up for a class trial to figure out who the Blackened is! Sounds simple enough, right?

**As scatterbrained as they are, they can still follow.**

MONOKUMA: At the end of a certain time period, the Students will all vote for one another. If the Blackened has the most votes, then they’re punished! If anyone else has the most votes, the Spotless Students will be punished… 

MONOKUMA: And the Blackened Student will be able to leave this island!

MONOKUMA: That’s the premise of the Island Game!

HARUKO: … !!! 

HARUKO: (We can leave… if we become Blackened…? How? How do we become Blackened?)

HARUKO: H-how do we--

MONOKUMA: You’re about to ask me how you can get all Blackened up, aren’t cha?

HARUKO: … 

ISAMU: C-c’mon, man, tell us! We’re dyin’ here!!

MONOKUMA: Not yet, haha! Oh, yeah, How do I put this…?

MONOKUMA: Murder.

HARUKO: (…………………………………………… )

HARUKO: (What?)

MONOKUMA: You heard me right, folks and folkettes! Murder is the only way you can get off this island!

MONOKUMA: Any murder is accepted, as long as it’s murder! Stabbing, poisoning, strangling-- hell, if you get ahold of one’a my spears I’ll even let you use that!

MONOKUMA: The only prerequisite for becoming the Blackened is that you kill one of your fellow Students! The _only_ prerequisite for escaping the island is becoming the Blackened and getting away with the murder of your fellow Student! That’s it!

MONOKUMA: _Of course,_ there are more rules than that. A body discovery announcement plays when three people see a body, you can’t kill more than two people, in the case of a double murder, the first murder counts, yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah, it’s boring, I know.

MONOKUMA: That’s why I’ve compiled all the rules in your MonoPhones! Like what I call ‘em? I altered your existing smartphones to be better used for this Mutual Killing Game! Now that we’ve gotten the rules over and done with, the rest of your apps should be unlocked!

MONOKUMA: … By the way, say thanks to **Haruko Kamiki** that we’re doin’ this early!

MONOKUMA: I would’ve waited another hour if no one collected all sixteen Ultimate Students, but our dear Paparazzi was so dedicated to her search that she really did catch ‘em all!

MONOKUMA: … Oh, and I _guess_ Kaoru Teruya did too, but who cares about him?

HARUKO: (……… )

**No one says a word. What could they even say? “I’m sorry?” “This sucks?” “What the hell?”**

**Every Student stands in front of the stage, dumbfounded, looking at each other.**

HARUKO: (... If we want to get out…)

HARUKO: (... Then we have to kill someone?)

HARUKO: (It sounds stupid. Of course not. There has to be another option. There _has_ to be some other way to escape.)

HARUKO: (There… has to… be…)

HARUKO: (There… has… )

HARUKO: ( … )

**Haruko Kamiki thinks of nothing.**

**Haruko Kamiki feels her consciousness slip away into the earth.**

**…**

**… …**

**… … …**

**… … … …**

**… … … … …**

**… … … … … …**

**[ 16 STUDENTS REMAIN ]** **  
  
**

**[ NONE HAVE DIED ]**

****

****


	3. [bonus] MonoPhone Contents

**> Rules**

1) Students will live on the island indefinitely until one becomes Blackened.

2) When a Student kills another Student, the killer will become Blackened, and is then eligible for Graduation.

3) After a dead Student’s body has been discovered, an investigation period will begin. After a certain amount of time has passed, the Class Trial will begin.

4) If, during the Class Trial, the Blackened Student is not identified and voted for, the Blackened will Graduate and the remaining Spotless Students will be punished.

5) If, during the Class Trial, the Blackened Student is identified and voted for, the Blackened will be punished and the Spotless Students will continue to play the Island Game.

6) “Night time” is between 10 PM and 7 AM. During this time, the park, pharmacy, and church are closed.

7) All acts of violence towards Monokuma are prohibited and will be met with punishment.

8) Unless a Student has broken a rule, Monokuma will not participate in murder outside of a Class Trial’s punishment.

9) Students are allowed to explore the island as they want.

10) When 3 or more Students discover a corpse, a Body Discovery Announcement will be sounded.

11) A Student is only allowed to murder 2 other Students. If they exceed this, then they will be punished by execution.

12) If two Students are murdered by different Students during the same Class Trial period, only the first murderer will become Blackened.

13) If the first murderer is dead, then the remaining Student will become Blackened.

14) Cutting down trees in an attempt to make a raft is strictly prohibited. Using already fallen trees will result in a minor punishment such as impromptu amputation.

15) Students should take care not to lose their MonoPhones.

16) Monokuma will not tell bold faced lies to Students. Punishment is not considered, because he will not.

17) Monokuma is allowed to update these rules at any time.

... ... ... ... ... ...

**> Map**

... ... ... ... .... ... ... 

> Report Cards

**[ 1. ] [ TAE OU / 王 多江 ]**

| Height: 5’2” (157 cm) | Weight: 100 lbs. (45 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Tokyo, Japan.  
| D.O.B: January 29th, 2030 | Age: 20  
| Blood Type: A+  
| Gender: F  
| Likes: Flowers, gentle rain, dark places.  
| Dislikes: Nothing in particular.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Ambassador

 _“Tae Ou is a rising star in the political world for her honesty and simple nature. While she’s more accustomed to the corporate world (introducing concepts to potential business partners), Ou has taken to politics like a duck to water. Her greatest feat, without question, is her involvement in the peace treaty between two warring Asian countries, possibly saving thousands of civilian lives. Her recent involvement in politics has even gotten her a few speeches, all of which were surprisingly controversial considering her previous work.”_  
… … … … … … … 

I wouldn’t really consider Ou-san a close friend. If anything, we’re more like acquaintances. That being said, she seems ... honest. Even if she has the attention span of a goldfish. Her tendency to disappear is worrying, though. Does she ever get lost? Would Ou-san consider herself lost even if she was? I really don’t know, it’s so easy to worry about her.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 2. ] [ NOELLE IWANAMI / 岩波 ノエル ]**

| Height: 5’10” (178 cm) | Weight: 192 lbs. (87 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: New York, USA (former)  
| D.O.B: July 1st, 2030. | Age: 19.  
| Blood Type: O+  
| Gender: F  
| Likes: Revolution, shouting, peace and quiet.  
| Dislikes: Smug people, sour food, cops.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Protestor.

 _“Having moved from the states to attend Hope’s Peak, Noelle Iwanami’s voice has been heard all around the world at the front of several protests-- especially with the help of her signature megaphone. While specializing in LGBT movements and disability rights, Iwanami lends her voice to all sorts of different issues. Despite having a considerable (if conservative) fanbase, Iwanami dislikes the idea of being a figurehead, and would much rather help lead the causes she fights for with the help of others.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Iwanami-san is kinda intense, is how I’d put it-- but not as judgy as I thought she’d be. Still definitely not what anyone would call easygoing. She seems like someone with very high moral standards. I honestly don’t blame her, though. Recently, the country she’s from seems to have exploded in conflict, so I guess it pays to be a little picky with your friends.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 3. ] [ ISAMU RYUUZAKI / 竜崎 勇]**

| Height: 6’3” (191 cm.) | Weight: 270 lbs. (122.5 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese, ¼ Polynesian. | Place of Residence: Naha, Japan. (former)  
| D.O.B: April 26th, 2030. | Age: 20.  
| Blood Type: B-  
| Gender: M.  
| Likes: Showing off, working out, little kiddos.  
| Dislikes: Low temperatures, heights.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Firefighter.

 _“Isamu Ryuuzaki is a local hero if there’s ever been one. Joining the force at just 17, Isamu’s bravery and level headedness have saved countless lives in his career. That being said, his popularity mostly comes from his sense of humor and carefree personality. Even when he lost his right leg and left hand in a job gone horribly wrong, he still smiles as bright as ever. He acts as a figurehead for disability rights and firefighting in general, and has even taken up a few modeling jobs.”_  
… … … … … … … 

It might just be the situation we’re in, but Ryuuzaki-san doesn’t seem “carefree” or “level headed” to me. I’d guess his calm comes from preparation, and since we weren’t warned that we were going to be kidnapped, it’s falling apart for him. Still, I feel like he’ll be a lot easier to be around once he’s gotten used to everything. I’m NOT looking forward to the flirting though.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 4. ] [ AI IMADA/ 今田 愛 ]**

| Height: 5’3” (160 cm.) | Weight: 230 lbs. (104 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Hakodate, Japan. (former)  
| D.O.B: December 1st, 2031. | Age: 18.  
| Blood Type: O+  
| Gender: F.  
| Likes: Bells, sleeping.  
| Dislikes: Humanity, cars, disturbances.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Veterinarian.

 _“The name Ai Imada carries a lot of baggage with it, mostly due to her strange and antisocial business practices and outward disdain for her customers. There isn’t much to her name aside from this baggage, since she never makes public appearances. The only thing that’s really known about her is how she treats animals: she lets the nurse do all the talking, gets the information she needs, and then tends to the animals herself, locking the pet’s owner out of the room. Even though this practice is objectively strange, Imada’s treatment is always satisfactory. Always.”_  
… … … … … … … 

As strange as she is, Imada-san doesn’t seem very grouchy. Shocking, I know. At most she was just irritable and unwilling to talk very much. Though, for whatever reason, Imada-san seems to disassociate from other humans in… strange ways. I thought she was joking, but she’s been going along with it for so long that I think she’s serious. Current hypothesis is that she’s full of contempt for humanity and is trying to distance herself from it however possible, but more evidence is required for a satisfactory conclusion.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 5. ] [ BRONAGH AOIBHINN “SULLY” O’RAIFEARTAIGH-O’SULLIVAN ]**

| Height: 5’7” (170 cm.) | Weight: 120 lbs. (54.5 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: White (Irish). | Place of Residence: Dublin, Ireland. (former)  
| D.O.B: August 9th, 2029. | Age: 20.  
| Blood Type: A-  
| Gender: F.  
| Likes: Wordplay, fencing, poetry.  
| Dislikes: Gendered languages, minimalism.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Linguist

 _“Linguist is an admittedly vague title, but it’s one that covers all of Sully O’Sullivan’s contributions to the world of language. Sully has acted as a translator for several different events, created new words for many languages, and has produced tireless research on the science of language. Sully is fluent in 5 languages and is conversational in 13, making her an incredible polyglot. Coming from Ireland, Sully’s first language was English, though she quickly picked up Irish, French, and Mandarin Chinese as well. As of today, she’s still making contributions to the world of spoken tongue, and has racked up a considerable reputation because of it. As an added bit of trivia, Sully learned Japanese specifically to attend Hope’s Peak!”_  
… … … … … … … 

The first word that comes to mind when I think of Sully is “smug.” That’s because she is… very smug. She’s very smug. I think she comes from a wealthy family, but I don’t know, she has the vibe of a noblewoman. Especially with that jabot. She doesn’t seem to have any strong feelings, and calls people ‘funny’ a lot. Maybe she’s just very entertained by other people? That might be why she studies linguistics. Who knows, really.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 6. ] [ SHIGERU KOHANA / 小花 茂 ]**

| Height: 6’1” (183 cm.) | Weight: 130 lbs. (59 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese and South Korean. | Place of Residence: Tokyo, Japan.  
| D.O.B: April 11th, 2030. | Age: 20.  
| Blood Type: A+  
| Gender: M.  
| Likes: Kale, housekeeping.  
| Dislikes: Surprises, automobiles.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Environmentalist.

 _“Shigeru Kohana is an environmental activist that has taken the world by storm due to his passionate speeches and volunteer work. After a certain incident long ago, Kohana has become one of the greatest beacons of Hope our society has to offer, simply due to his passionate protection of the environment and constant urging for others to do the same… however, his online presence makes him an easy target for mild harassment. Kohana has heard the word “Hipster” more than we’ve heard the word “And”._  
… … … … … … … 

Kohana-san… is timid, I suppose? In general, he’s very agreeable and seems not to like conflict, but he doesn’t seem very interested in stopping it either… though, given his talent, that’s strange, isn’t it? I guess he feels like stopping conflict on a grander scale is more worth his time than petty squabbles.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 7. ] [ ZENKO HIGUCHI / 樋口 善子 ]**

| Height: 5’6” (168 cm.) | Weight: 110 lbs. (50 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Tokyo, Japan.  
| D.O.B: September 13th, 2030. | Age: 19.  
| Blood Type: O+  
| Gender: F.   
| Likes: Doves, old American TV shows.  
| Dislikes: Weekends, men, firearms.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Contortionist.

 _“Zenko Higuchi is almost a celebrity in her place of residence, known for being able to fit into anything from suitcases to file cabinet drawers. Higuchi’s flexibility comes from both genetics and training… but according to her, it’s mostly genetics. Higuchi’s father, Masao, has made a point to show off his daughter’s talents, and has helped his family rack up some considerable money with her help. Without Masao, Higuchi would be nowhere near where she is today.”_  
… … … … … … … 

I’m surprised none of this mentions her… unpleasant personality. Higuchi-san is paranoid and accusatory, but she somehow manages to be smug about it all. I don’t even know how, to be honest, she just does, like she’s somehow triumphed over you for reading way too deep into situations. I really just can’t get a read on her aside from that.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 8. ] [ YOSHIJIROU TACHIBANA / 橘 義二郎 ]**

| Height: 6’5” (196 cm.) | Weight: 477 lbs. (216 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Kobe, Japan. (former)  
| D.O.B: June 29th, 2031. | Age: 18.  
| Blood Type: O-  
| Gender: M.  
| Likes: Donuts, protein, manly things.  
| Dislikes: Loud music, sickness.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Wrestler.

 _“The super-heavyweight champion of Kobe, the Unyielding Pig, the Glory Hog, the one, the only, **Yoshijirou Tachibana!!** Tachibana has been wrestling since middle-school, and specializes in men’s freestyle. Because the super-heavyweight class is so varied, Tachibana’s size is a major boon for him, though some criticize him for relying on it during matches. Tachibana sports a very nice win record of almost 90% since going pro, but he plans on losing a few matches just to figure out where he can improve.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Tachibana-san… is a bit of an idiot. Okay, maybe more than a bit of an idiot. He’s a lot of an idiot, but he does what he does well, and he’s so incredibly earnest that hating him is damn-near impossible for any normal person. Still, I think one or two of the Students could manage it, considering how loud he is… also, is it just me, or is he wearing a singlet under his jackets?

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 9. ] [ KAORU TERUYA / 照屋 薫 ]**

| Height: 4’10” (147 cm.) | Weight: 92 lbs. (42 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese and White (Russian). | Place of Residence: Tokyo, Japan.  
| D.O.B: November 25th, 2031. | Age: 18.  
| Blood Type: AB-  
| Gender: M.  
| Likes: Freshly-dried clothes, needles.  
| Dislikes: Mold, people who smell bad.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Stuffed Animal Collector.

 _“Coming from a wealthy family, Kaoru Teruya has been collecting stuffed animals ever since he was nine years old, and rarely takes any breaks from his craft. Teruya’s obsession with stuffed animals has been a driving motivator for almost his entire life, taking part-time jobs and doing volunteer work to get more plushie money. There’s an entire room in the Teruya household almost filled to the brim with the fruits of his labor; reportedly, his family doesn’t mind as long as he keeps it there.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Learning that Teruya-san is almost an adult was probably one of the most shocking moments of my life. Because… well, come on, look at him. Teruya-san seems to enjoy my company so far, though, and I can’t say I mind his too much. As trembly and scared as he is, I believe he has a kind heart, and I don’t have much else to say about him… however, he does seem to be a bit… judgy, at times.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 10. ] [ SOO-MIN CHO / 초 수민 ]**

| Height: 5’11” (180 cm.) | Weight: 140 lbs. (63.5 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: South Korean. | Place of Residence: Daejeon, South Korea. (former)  
| D.O.B: February 28th, 2031. | Age: 19.  
| Blood Type: A+  
| Gender: M.  
| Likes: Bread (all kinds), story-driven games.  
| Dislikes: Wacom, orange juice.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Freelance Artist.

 _“A popular artist on the internet, Soo-min Cho gets most of his income through his streams and his donating services. On said streams, Cho jokes around while he draws detailed, beautiful artwork, usually of original characters from paying customers, but just as often he’ll draw characters from established media as well. Cho describes himself as “A bit of a shut-in”, but he probably has more admirers than people like us could ever dream of.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Soo-min Cho. I’d heard the name before I got here, but I never really thought to look him up. His sketchbooks are very nice-looking, but what I noticed most about him was his demeanor. He seemed to treat everything like a joke, almost. Even in this situation, he was still making one-liners! Insane! Current hypothesis is that he’s trying to ignore the predicament by making light of it, but I don’t know, maybe he’s just weird.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

**[ 11. ] [ XIAOLU REN / 任 鸮璐 ]**

| Height: 5’0” (152.5 cm) | Weight: 123 lbs. (56 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Chinese. | Place of Residence: Tokyo, Japan.  
| D.O.B: March 17th, 2031. | Age: 19.  
| Blood Type: O-  
| Gender: X.  
| Likes: Vacations, pre-packaged things, sugary sodas.  
| Dislikes: Binary, explaining things.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Hacker.

 _“Born in China before moving straight to Tokyo at barely a month old, Xiaolu Ren learned to program at a very young age. Almost immediately afterwards, decided to monetize their skills. Ren has been a grey-hat for hire since they were 13 years old, and the vast majority of their clients say that their work is way beyond satisfactory. However, due to their involvement in an illegal hacktivist group (as well as a scandal involving a particularly respected politician), Ren is being forced to use their talents for a more traditionally good cause at Hope’s Peak Academy.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Say it with me, folks, “I don’t know what to make of them.” A criminal at Hope’s Peak isn’t exactly a new concept, but something about Ren-san just seems… off. Like they’re just coasting by, like “well, this is happening now.” They’re almost rude about it, and their sarcasm is… not exactly appreciated, given the scenario.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 12. ] [ YUMI OGASAWARA / 小笠原 弓美 ]**

| Height: 6’2” (188 cm.) | Weight: 148 lbs. (67 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Osaka, Japan. (former)  
| D.O.B: December 31st, 2029. | Age: 20.  
| Blood Type: B+  
| Gender: F.  
| Likes: Temperate climates, chocolate bars.  
| Dislikes: Moping, complicated things.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Volunteer.

 _“Yumi Ogasawara’s volunteer hours are about 3,000 away from making the 10,000 hour rule. Having taken up volunteering at age 16, Ogasawara has since devoted her life to the help of others and seems to be having a great time doing it. According to her, she almost didn’t take the opportunity to go to Hope’s Peak because she was worried it would interrupt her work. Eventually, though, she decided the benefits outweighed the costs.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Yumi Ogasawara… sweet, I think? She lives up to her talent, always offering to help no matter how much someone definitely has it covered. I don’t really know what’s up with her, she always seems like she’s overcompensating for something, but I don’t know what. Maybe she has super low self esteem? That feels right, yeah. She’s easy to sympathize with, and I’m not gonna be opposed if someone wants to do stuff for me, so whatever.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 13. ] [ NAOKI KUROSAWA / 黒沢 直樹 ]**

| Height: 5’3” (160 cm.) | Weight: 124 lbs. (56 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Osaka, Japan. (former)  
| D.O.B: October 6th, 2030. | Age: 19.  
| Blood Type: O-  
| Gender: M.  
| Likes: Creamy coffee, quilts, idle conversation.  
| Dislikes: True Crime Community, the dark.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Criminologist.

 _“Naoki Kurosawa is a young person whose contributions to Criminology could not go unnoticed by Hope’s Peak Academy. While his research into the motivations of criminals and the prevention of their crimes is certainly great, what got the academy’s attention was a book Kurosawa published! “Minds Against Humanity”, despite its odd title, is actually fairly comedic, and is focused on explaining criminological principals to the average reader… as well as talking about a few more lighthearted or interesting cases Kurosawa has read about.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Naoki isn’t what I’d call timid, which is strange, because by all rights he should be. He’s more just… anxious, maybe a bit self-centered, but he’s not afraid to make a lighthearted joke. He seems to get along with more simple-minded people than him, which is surprising. Reading his bio does clear a few things up, though. Let’s just hope he doesn’t succumb to Monokuma… any crime he commits is bound to be perfect.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

**[ 14. ] [ CONNOR BARROS ]**

| Height: 5’5” (165 cm.) | Weight: 160 lbs. (73 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Black, Latine. (Brazilian-American.) | Place of Residence: Richmond, USA (former)  
| D.O.B: May 14th, 2031. | Age: 19  
| Blood Type: AB+  
| Gender: M.  
| Likes: Money, napping outside.  
| Dislikes: Money, wordy things.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Astronomer.

 _“Connor Barros has had astronomical talent all his life. Joining the Astronomy Club at his middle school in America, Connor learned just how much he loved the concept of space, and just how it worked. What he didn’t like, though, was how complicated people made it. Connor believes that all people, no matter their background, have a right to knowledge. His contributions to astronomy don’t just stop at the technical side-- Connor runs a website dedicated to explaining the stars and planets in our sky so that anyone, no matter who they are, can understand.”_  
… … … … … … … 

He’s a normal person. Seriously, that’s enough of a surprise that I’m putting it first. Connor-san is definitely one of the most average of our group, he’s a bit jockish, generally seems like he knows what he’s talking about, and he acts… normal. The weirdest thing I can say about him is that he has a unique sense of style. Connor-san is immensely relieving to be around, he’s easygoing, friendly, and I just feel like I can count on him.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 15. ] [ MIZUKI SATOU / 佐藤 美月 ]**

| Height: 5’5” (165 cm) | Weight: 225 lbs. ( 102 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Tokyo, Japan.  
| D.O.B: October 30th, 2031. | Age: 18.  
| Blood Type: AB+  
| Gender: F.  
| Likes: Temples, snow, clovers.  
| Dislikes: Responsibility, the number four.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Lucky Student.

 _“As a lucky student, Mizuki Satou doesn’t have much of a claim to fame, and describes herself as an average person attending school. Despite this, Satou has always seen herself as lucky, and describes her luck as something like wind running through autumn leaves. No one knows what that means. Satou’s hobbies include sitting in dog parks and drawing pictures of flowers.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Satou-san is… calm, yeah, but that’s not the word I’m looking for. Maybe… tranquil? Tranquil is a better way to describe it. Being around her is quiet and soothing, but almost sad in a way. She carries a tired aura, even though she’s always smiling. Satou-san, for all her strange tranquility, does seem genuinely kind. She probably cares about other people a lot more than most do. She seems not to like loud things, especially people, so maybe her tranquil nature isn’t as selfless as it seems.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

**[ 16. ] [ HARUKO KAMIKI/ 神木 陽子]**

| Height: 5’4” (163 cm.) | Weight: 145 lbs. (66 kg.)  
| Ethnicity: Japanese and Black. | Place of Residence: Yokohama, Japan. (former)  
| D.O.B: February 8th, 2031. | Age: 19.  
| Blood Type: A-  
| Gender: F  
| Likes: Rabbits, excessive notation.  
| Dislikes: Eraser smudge, touchy people.  
| Special Notes: Ultimate Journalist.

 _“Haruko Kamiki, like many people, runs a blog dedicated to news, and prides herself on being unbiased. However, Kamiki’s dedication and talent to her craft are simply higher than the rest. Kamiki sometimes finds herself in several different prefectures every day in order to get every bit of information she can for an article. Her crowning achievement, however, was her willingness to investigate a murder that the local police were hiding information about. Her involvement in the investigation was certainly a factor in finding the culprit.”_  
… … … … … … … 

Yup, that’s me. I don’t really have much to say about all this, it seems about right, but I’m a little worried about how they mentioned my… excursion with a certain case. If someone does end up giving into the killing game, well… that won’t be good for me.

**< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>**

****

****


	4. [1-1] [Daily] What Remains to be Seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruko adjusts to her surroundings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No real warnings. Go forth!

**[ CHAPTER 1 ]**

**[ WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN ]**

**[ BEGINNING ]**

… … … … … …

… … … … … 

… … … …

… … … 

… …

… 

**Haruko doesn’t remember if she had a dream. Haruko doesn’t remember that she ever fell asleep. It was all just a blur for her-- the last part of yesterday, that is. What she does know, however, is that she’s in a bed, and that that bed is in a room.**

HARUKO: (... What is this place?)

**The room is spacious and the walls say that it’s a cabin. It’s decked out with office supplies of all different kinds and several books huddled together in a shelf. They don’t have titles, so Haruko suspects that they’re blank. There even seems to be a typewriter hidden under a table. Aside from that, there’s two doors on either side of the room, but only one seems to lead to a set of stairs, the other is just a balcony.**

HARUKO: Ugh… (My head hurts… what time is it?)

HARUKO: [checks phone] (9:16, huh? Guessing it’s in the AM, since I can see the sun.)

HARUKO: (What… happened? I was looking for Students, and then… Monokuma… )

**Haruko strains her brain for an answer, but finds nothing.**

HARUKO: (Everything after the announcement is just… blurry. I think I layed down? And then… I don’t know.)

**Interrupting her thoughts, there’s a knock at her door, followed by a creaking sound. She turns to the source and sees a stocky girl holding a basket.**

HARUKO: Satou-san…?

MIZUKI: Oh! You’re awake. [chuckles awkwardly] Sorry… I was convinced you’d still be asleep. You were knocked out after… well, everything that happened.

HARUKO: It’s fine. I’m just, uh, confused, is all.

MIZUKI: About what?

HARUKO: … _Everything?_

MIZUKI: Yeah, I can understand that. Yesterday was… well, bad.

HARUKO: (There’s that tranquil aura again. What is _up_ with this girl? Every time I’m around her I feel like I’m laying on a quiet hilltop.)

HARUKO: [sitting up in bed] So… what… happened?

MIZUKI: [a bit confused] … After what?

HARUKO: A-after Monokuma said something like… ‘Thank Haruko Kamiki that we’re doing this early,’ or something. That’s around when Everything just… blurs together.

**Mizuki gently closes the door behind her and sits at the foot of Haruko’s bed.**

MIZUKI: Pie?

HARUKO: You made a pie?

MIZUKI: [nods] … It’s pecan pie. I feel like everyone can enjoy pecan pie.

HARUKO: [takes a slice] Are you dodging the question?

  
MIZUKI: No. Just stalling a little.

MIZUKI: Well… almost right after that announcement, Monokuma left. I haven’t seen him since, but Teruya-san says he came into his cabin after he asked a question.

HARUKO: [scoffs] So he’s _always_ listening?

MIZUKI: I don’t know if that’s accurate, but it seems like he knows when he’s mentioned. I doubt he can hear everything at once.

MIZUKI: Anyways… after that, you were, uh… [awkward laugh] squatting with your head in your arms for a bit?

HARUKO: Ah. (She doesn’t sound _wrong…_ )

MIZUKI: Well, I’m sure no one judged you for it… We decided you should go lie down, and we figured out that the cabins over here are actually where we’re supposed to stay, and there was one with your name on it.

MIZUKI: If I remember right the locks respond to our Smartphones… 

MIZUKI: Even if they’re not great circumstances… [chuckles], I’m really glad that our rooms are this nice.

**Haruko swears she hears the wind outside in the silence.**

HARUKO: Yeah… this place is basically, like, journalist heaven.

MIZUKI: That’s another thing we found out. All of our cabins are based around our talents, apparently. Iwanami-san found a megaphone in hers, and Ren-san even found a laptop in theirs.

HARUKO: !!! A laptop?! C-can it call for help?!

MIZUKI: [sighs] … No, there’s no connection.

MIZUKI: Or, well… that’s not completely right. There is a connection, but it’s impossible to use it for communication… is what they said.

HARUKO: What’s that supposed to mean?

MIZUKI: Well… your smartphone can still play videos, but you can’t leave comments, or even type anything outside of the search bar. Ren-san tried to make some calls, but none would go through. Pretty much anything that could help us communicate with the outside world… is gone.

MIZUKI: We can’t visit news sites or see anything about current events either. All we can do is use our phones for games and the occasional unimportant video.

HARUKO: How the hell did they manage that?

MIZUKI: I don’t know. I’m just glad I can still listen to my music. [giggles]

HARUKO: Ren-san is a hacker, right? They should be able to… hack it! Y’know?

MIZUKI: They’ve been trying to, actually… but there’s been no luck. Besides, I don’t think it’d matter even if they _could_ hack it.

HARUKO: [squints] … Why not?

MIZUKI: Because none of us have any idea where we are.

HARUKO: What? _How?_ This is… an entire _island,_ there’s gotta be someone who can figure things out, right?

MIZUKI: [shakes her head] No. I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s possible.

MIZUKI: Connor-san tried to figure out where we are by the movement of the stars, but… he said it was like nothing he’d ever seen. He said the constellations looked more like a game of connect-the-dots than anything else.

HARUKO: So… we’re on some unheard of island in the middle of nowhere with no way to contact anyone… and our only solace is the fact that our phones still have games on them?

MIZUKI: [smiles sadly] And music. And videos.

HARUKO: … Guess that _is_ better than nothing.

**Haruko and Mizuki sit in silence for a few seconds.**

HARUKO: Hey, Satou-san?

MIZUKI: Hm?

HARUKO: Who… carried me here?

MIZUKI: [scratches chin] Why do you ask?

HARUKO: I was just curious. It’d be a lighter topic, that’s for sure.

MIZUKI: You’re right, really. The two big, strong men had to decide which one it was going to be. It was very chivalrous of them, honestly. They had a game of rock-paper-scissors over it… but eventually, it was Tachibana-san.

HARUKO: Heh… I don’t know much about him, but I’d say that’s pretty in character.

HARUKO: … Waaait a minute. “Big, strong men?”

MIZUKI: Yes? What’s wrong with that?

HARUKO: [bluntly] You into ‘em?

MIZUKI: … [blushes a bit] Oh, no, no! I can appreciate that they’re handsome, but I don’t think a relationship would be good for anyone right now!

MIZUKI: Plus… Well, I don’t want to gossip, but I feel like Tachibana-san is a bit of a… _man’s man._

HARUKO: I’m honestly surprised you said that about Tachibana-san and not Ryuuzaki-san.

MIZUKI: [nods] N-not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just got the vibe from him.

HARUKO: [snorts] You are… _so_ eager not to offend anyone.

MIZUKI: [smiles] That’s not a bad thing, is it?

HARUKO: Nah, nah… it’s fine. Just wanted to lighten the mood, y’know?

MIZUKI: I think it’s working… I better get going, though… Keep the pie, I’ll make some more, okay?

HARUKO: [nods] Alright.

MIZUKI: See you later, Kamiki-san.

**Mizuki walks out of Haruko’s cabin and closes the door behind her yet again. Haruko is left with her own thoughts for the time being.**

HARUKO: (... I wonder how everyone else is doing. I better get ready… but first, let me check my phone… maybe write a few things down. )

**Haruko’s smartphone now has most of its previously grayed apps unlocked; however, one is still missing. ‘Vote.’ There are now, however, several other apps that Haruko is allowed. ‘Monomessage’, ‘Progress’, ‘Map’, ‘Evidence’, ‘Call’, ‘Rule’.**

HARUKO: (Monomessage is a messaging program… apparently we can message Monokuma? I don’t see any of the students on here… )  
  
HARUKO: (Progress… what the hell is that?)

**‘Progress’ is simply a bar that forces Haruko to turn her smartphone to landscape mode. It reminds her of a loading screen or a health bar. It inches closer to the right side of the screen every once in a while, but really, it’s nowhere near completion.**

HARUKO: (... W-what does this mean? What’s it progressing to?)  
  
HARUKO: Ughh… (This makes no sense! I hate this!)

HARUKO: Whatever.

**Haruko opens the next app. Fittingly, it’s a map of the island, showing all of the different buildings located on it.**

HARUKO: (Why would I need a map? This place isn’t exactly that spacious. Next.)

**‘Evidence’ is strange too. It’s just a simple screen, at the top there are the letters ‘GEN’, with nothing below them. Haruko tries tapping the screen, and her keyboard pops up. Her stomach drops.**

HARUKO (This is… for compiling evidence… for the Class Trial… but what does GEN mean? General…? Genetic?)

HARUKO: (Whatever. Let’s move on.)

**‘Call’ is even stranger. It’s just a button with Monokuma’s plush face on it. Something inside Haruko tells her not to press that just yet.**

HARUKO: Bleh. (My intuition says this is some way to call Monokuma. Nooo thanks.)

HARUKO: (Okay, so what’s… _Rule?_ )

**Haruko opens the app. Her heart thuds in her chest.**

HARUKO: Th-these… (These are the rules… for the killing game!)

**There aren’t many rules that stand out to her, but they all force a feeling of dread down her throat… However, aside from the ones Monokuma has already discussed, there is one.**

**14) Cutting down trees in an attempt to make a raft is strictly prohibited. Using already fallen trees will result in a minor punishment such as impromptu amputation.**

HARUKO: D-damn it…! (So we can’t escape with rafts either? This is… insane!)

HARUKO: (I need… I need some fresh air…)

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko opens her door after getting ready for the day. She pulls out her phone again to check the time.**

HARUKO: 9:58… (Guess all that took a while… well, crap.)

**Ignoring the inconvenience of time, Haruko steps down the stairs of her cabin to walk somewhere else.**

NOELLE: [shouting from a megaphone] YOO!! KAMIKI-CHAAAN!!!

HARUKO: AAAAUUGH!?

NOELLE: [smirks] Heh. Looks like you’re doin’ better than yesterday.

HARUKO: BETTER?! Y-you almost gave me a heart attack!

NOELLE: Hehe, sorry, sorry. Just felt like you’d need some help wakin’ up, y’know?

HARUKO: Well I’m awake _now!_ Jeez, Iwanami-san!

HARUKO: … It’s fine, whatever. How is everyone?

NOELLE: Ah… bad. Or, well, as good as they _can_ be, given the circumstances, but… bad. Bad is what I’m goin’ for.

HARUKO: Is anyone in particular _really_ bad? Or just… doing really bad?

NOELLE: Dunno how I’d qualify that, but… Teruya and that Ryuuzaki guy seem to have taken it the worst. The rest of us are coping in the ways we know how, but those two are just kind of… stressed beyond belief, y’know?

HARUKO: Ah… yeah, that’s about what I expected. Those two seemed to be the least stable.

NOELLE: Yeah, they prolly just… need some time to think, y’know? Just… get it all out or somethin’.

HARUKO: [nods] Yeah…

HARUKO: So, uh, where is everybody?

NOELLE: I dunno. Everyone’s everywhere, just pick a place and you’ll find someone… Maybe not the ocean, though. This ain’t the time to swim… 

HARUKO: Got it. I’ll check around, then?

HARUKO: The more we know each other, the less likely it is for someone to commit a murder. It’s pretty simple logic.

HARUKO: _(So if everyone knows me, I can survive.)_

HARUKO: [blinks] … 

NOELLE: Hey, Kamiki-chan… what’s up? You just got a weird look on yer face.

HARUKO: Oh, uh, it’s nothing! [awkward chuckle] Sorry for worrying you! There’s just a lot on my mind.

NOELLE: Got it. By the way, you should be up by 7 tomorrow, we decided to have breakfast together at 7:30. As a… bonding exercise, y’know?

HARUKO: Got it, see you! (What the hell was that just now? That thought I just had… that had a really sinister undertone…)

HARUKO: (... This Killing Game… what’s it going to _do_ to me…?)

**… … … … … …**

**As Haruko walks away from the cabins, she becomes lost in her thoughts. Why was she chosen? What did she do? What must everyone else be thinking right now?**

HARUKO: (This situation is… unheard of! No one’s ever done something like this before, not even in that tragedy--)

**Haruko is freed from the maze in her mind by the sensation that she’s about to sneeze. Something tickles her nose. Something… thick, and wavy…?**

**Something thick and wavy and connected to Yumi Ogasawara’s scalp. Yumi Ogasawara who Haruko has just run into.**

YUMI: Oh, are you alright?

HARUKO: Ogasawara-san?

YUMI: Yes, I am Ogasawara. Were you interested in the garden?

HARUKO: The… garden…?

**Haruko looks down and sees where she’d walked-- the garden by the church, full of flowers.**

HARUKO: Ah! Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going, sorry, I--

YUMI: No, no, it’s fine, [smiles] I was just tending to the flowers. Nothing too serious, you didn’t interrupt anything.

YUMI: [index knuckle to mouth] In fact, would you like to talk? I’ve been worried about you for a little while now… after yesterday, I mean… 

HARUKO: (Huh… I guess everyone was worried about me. That might be a little weird to deal with later.)

HARUKO: Y-yeah. I’m pretty much fine now, I’m just wondering how everyone’s holding up, you know?

  
YUMI: Well… not well.

HARUKO: Yeah, Iwanami-san told me, she said that Ryuuzaki-san and Teruya-san were taking it the worst.

YUMI: [nods] Sounds about right. We’re all just trying to… push forward, is how I’d put it.

YUMI: [scratches cheek] Though, aside from the obvious, this place is much better than anywhere I’ve lived.

HARUKO: Wait, really?

YUMI: Oh, yes. I’ve been… poor, for lack of a better word, all my life. I’d only been able to rent an apartment when I was eighteen, before that, I alternated between living with my family and being evicted.

HARUKO: Wow… that… really sucks, Ogasawara-san.

YUMI: It’s fine, really. I’m used to it. Hope’s Peak… well, it’s been giving me a home for quite a while now. You could even say that it’s… given me hope! [giggles]

HARUKO: (Wow… I always took her for the rich type, but from what she’s saying, it almost sounds like she was homeless.)

HARUKO: Is that why you took up volunteering?

YUMI: Hm?

HARUKO: You being poor. Is that why you wanted to volunteer? You know, at soup kitchens and stuff. It was because you didn’t want other people to go through what you did, right?

YUMI: … [glances away]

HARUKO: (W-woah! Her entire vibe just changed there!)

YUMI: … Partly, yes. A lot of my volunteer work is at the soup kitchen, but… I’d rather not talk about how I started.

HARUKO: Ah. I see. (Guess that’s a touchy subject… kinda inconvenient, but oh well.)

**Yumi bends down into the garden and gently picks up a watering can she’d left there, drizzling water on the flowers.**

YUMI: [not looking at HARUKO] You can call me Yumi, by the way.

HARUKO: Huh?

YUMI: Yumi. You can call me by my first name.

YUMI: “Ogasawara” is a bit of a mouthful… [giggles], I’m surprised you hadn’t been calling me Yumi all this time, y’know? So… Yumi is fine. I quite like my first name, believe it or not.

HARUKO: So… Yumi-san it is, then…? That has a nice ring to it.

YUMI: Agreed.

**Yumi stops tending to the flowers and gets out of her crouched position after she sets the watering can down again. Haruko just tilts her head at her. With her height, Haruko thought she’d look intimidating, but the aura she generates is so gentle and unthreatening…**

HARUKO: You can call me Haruko.

YUMI: [eyes widen for a second] … Haruko-sama… I like that too. It sounds cute.

HARUKO: (Baby steps, I guess.)

YUMI: Well, Haruko-sama, is there anything else you’d like to talk about?

HARUKO: Uh, yeah, but… It might be a little touchy.

YUMI: Go ahead. I’ll answer anything I feel comfortable with.

HARUKO: Alright, but sorry in advance… how’d you get that scar? The one on your nose? It makes you look like an Anime character.

YUMI: Oh, this old thing? The story’s a little awkward to tell now, but I guess I can oblige.

YUMI: [smiling] A very bad man was trying to slit my throat.

HARUKO: …!!

YUMI: [defensive hands] Don’t look so shocked, Haruko-sama! I ducked out of the way in time to get this scar instead of a death sentence, but that’s how I got it!

YUMI: It’s really nothing special. Where I’m from, people do that all the time. I was actually rather lucky to avoid dying then. I’ve been in scrapes much worse than that, but I guess that one’s the easiest to _see._

HARUKO: … Woah. I’ve never been in anything like that, Yumi-san.

YUMI: I’d hope so! It wasn’t very nice, I’ll tell you that! Trying to kill someone just for some territory game… well, it’s morally wrong!

HARUKO: Y-you seem… kind of used to this, Yumi-san.

YUMI: Why wouldn’t I be? It’s how I grew up. Sure, I can act like it’s a total outrage, but I don’t think I’ll ever see it like all of you do, and I can’t really do anything to change that.

YUMI: It’s better to be numb if the alternative ruins your life.

HARUKO: Yumi-san…

YUMI: Oh, what time is it? I need to get back to Kohana-sama, he’s the one who asked me to water these flowers.

YUMI: Later, Haruko-sama!

HARUKO: Uh, Yumi-san--!

HARUKO: (And off she goes…)

HARUKO: … Ultimates are such weird people.

**… … … … … …**

[ 12. ] [ YUMI OGASAWARA / 小笠原 弓美 ]

| Height: 6’2” (188 cm.) | Weight: 148 lbs. (67 kg.)

| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: Osaka, Japan. (former)

| D.O.B: December 31st, 2029. | Age: 20.

| Blood Type: B+

| Gender: F.

| Likes: Temperate climates, chocolate bars.

| Dislikes: Moping, complicated things.

| Special Notes: Ultimate Volunteer.

\--

Yumi-san, apparently, grew up extremely poor, and by the way she phrased some of it, I almost think she used to be homeless. She says most of her early life was just her bouncing from house to house with her family and getting evicted after a while, and her scar is from someone trying to slit her throat and failing. If she really did live in such terrible circumstances, I’m curious about one thing… Why is she a volunteer, something that doesn’t give any money at all? She seemed to be a little sensitive about that topic… hmm… 

**… … … … … …**

**After finishing her new notes about Yumi, Haruko feels a slight headache coming on.**

HARUKO: (Ugh… I guess I did sleep, like, _a lot…_ I need some aspirin or something.)

HARUKO: Oh! (There’s a pharmacy here! They should probably have some headache medicine in there!)

HARUKO: (... Though it’s a little worrying that they have a pharmacy here in the first place. It’s not exactly what I’d associate with an island… )

**A memory appears in Haruko’s mind; Zenko twisting her body gruesomely to take a bottle from Ai’s hands.**

HARUKO: (It’s probably there because a few of us have medical problems we’d need medicine for. Still, though, what was Higuchi-san getting back there, and why didn’t she want Imada-san to see it?)

HARUKO: Urghg… (Owww! All this thinking is making my headache woooorseee!! That’s it, Haruko, you need to stop thinking about motivations and character traits and _get_ some _goddamn aspirin!)_

**… … … … … …**

**Now that she isn’t preoccupied with finding everyone, the pharmacy looks borderline normal. It’s a small, rectangular building. Inside is a white room filled with aisles of different medicine for all sorts of different things, and Haruko assumes the counter in the corner is for medicine that wouldn’t be sold on shelves.**

HARUKO: (But… if no one else is here, then who’s running the counter?)

CONNOR: Hey, Kamiki-san, whatcha lookin’ for?

HARUKO: Ah, Connor-san! How long have you been here?

CONNOR: Not long, really. Just had to get some stuff I take back in… y’know, the _real_ world.

HARUKO: Really? You don’t seem like the sickly type… I’m just here for some aspirin. I get headaches when I sleep too much.

CONNOR: And you just spent the entire day asleep… I get that, I get that.

**Connor places his hand on the counter in the corner, gesturing that Haruko come over with his eyes.**

CONNOR: If you don’t wanna look for some, just, uh… ring the bell. [mimes] Ding ding.

**Haruko cocks an eyebrow at this, but eventually concedes.**

[ding ding]

**In a second or two a microphone emerges from a slot on the counter. Haruko looks to Connor, who just gestures towards it again, not giving her much of an answer.**

HARUKO: ………… [into the mic] Aspirin?

**A strange noise rings out from inside the counter, and Haruko notices something from beyond the counter.**

HARUKO: Is that a--

CONNOR: That’s a conveyor belt, yeah.

**A small bottle of aspirin makes its journey towards Haruko and Connor, slowly and steadily. After a time that feels longer than it is, the aspirin arrives unceremoniously near the counter.**

HARUKO: … That’s pretty advanced stuff. This is the brand I usually get too.

CONNOR: Whoever organized this island knows a lot about us, really. I was pretty vague with mine, and I still got the _exact_ stuff I wanted, it’s insane.

HARUKO: What did you even get?

CONNOR: [rubs back of neck] … Nothing much, just some hormone injections and antidepressants.

HARUKO: Hormones? Is that why you look so manly?

CONNOR: You could say that, yeah. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with prioritizing appearance, y’know, and I think looking manly looks, uh, nice.

CONNOR: [embarrassed] At least… nice compared to how I used to look.

  
CONNOR: People actually used to think I was a girl. Crazy, right? Some people _still_ do.

HARUKO: Connor-san, you’re the 3rd manliest person here.

CONNOR: You have… _no_ idea how many people disagree with you on that.

HARUKO: (WOW he’s laying this on hard. I’ll just… _refrain_ from telling him that, though. Don’t want him getting mad at me.)

HARUKO: Do you always get that stuff, or was this just a one-time thing?

CONNOR: Oh yeah, I get this like, _all_ the time. Hormones are weekly but, the other stuff… isn’t. I wouldn’t wanna go without it, but it’s not _quite_ as necessary, I guess.

HARUKO: [blatantly getting out a tiny notebook] How does depression feel? Bad, right??

CONNOR: W-woah there… This is seeming more like an interview by the second.

HARUKO: Ah, sorry, do you wanna ask me something?

CONNOR: … [ignoring her second question] Yes, it feels bad. I’m honestly surprised you’ve never dealt with it before.

HARUKO: I probably wouldn’t be able to tell if I had. I got my aspirin, so I’ll just stop bothering you now. [opens the bottle and swallows the aspirin dry like a monster]

**Haruko tries to turn to leave, but Connor calls after her.**

CONNOR: Uh, wait! Before you go, Ou-san… wanted to tell you something.

HARUKO: … I’m interested.

CONNOR: At 11 AM, she wants all of us to meet together in the… dining, place? She didn’t really say what for, she just said it was important.

HARUKO: Huh… That sounds pretty important, yeah, what time is it?

CONNOR: 10:30, I think? Something like that. It’s soon, is what it is. I just figured I should tell you in case you didn’t hear it from anyone.

HARUKO: [rubs back of head] Uh, got it? I’ll… be there, I guess. I don’t really know how to respond to that.

CONNOR: Try not to die on the way there.

HARUKO: Will do.

**… … … … … …**

#### [ 14. ] [ CONNOR BARROS ]

| Height: 5’9” (175 cm.) | Weight: 289 lbs. (131 kg.)

| Ethnicity: Black, Latine. (Brazillian-American.) | Place of Residence: Richmond, USA (former)

| D.O.B: May 14th, 2031. | Age: 19

| Blood Type: AB+

| Gender: M.

| Likes: Money, napping outside.

| Dislikes: Money, wordy things.

| Special Notes: Ultimate Astronomer.

“Connor Barros has had astronomical talent all his life. Joining the Astronomy Club at his middle school in America, Connor learned just how much he loved the concept of space, and just how it worked. What he didn’t like, though, was how complicated people made it. Connor believes that all people, no matter their background, have a right to knowledge. His contributions to astronomy don’t just stop at the technical side-- Connor runs a website dedicated to explaining the stars and planets in our sky so that anyone, no matter who they are, can understand.”

\--

Connor-san is currently taking antidepressants and some kind of hormone injections. (Testosterone, I’m assuming?) He doesn’t really seem to like talking about himself that much, but he did mention a philosophy he had regarding appearances-- “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with prioritizing appearance.” It’s not really something I expected him to say, but I guess it makes sense. There’s no way an average astronomer would wear what he does, but he wants people to know…?

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: (Right now, it’s around 10:30, so I have half an hour to kill before I have to get to Tae’s meeting… problem is, I don’t know what to do with it…)

**Haruko ends up wandering around the island for half an hour without much to do. She tries to search for a way to get out, but she comes up with nothing. She hasn’t seen a single plane or helicopter in the sky since she got here, and using trees to build a raft is impossible given the rules.**

**For the next thirty minutes, Haruko just flows from location to location and observes how everyone is dealing with the situation. Most of it’s what she expects, Tae is preparing for the meeting, Mizuki is handing out sweet treats, and Noelle is checking in on everyone like a coach to a sports team. The others are all doing their best to deal, most of them just by talking to each other or eating comfort food. None of them really stand out to Haruko.**

**Before she even knows it, it’s almost time for the meeting.**

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko slips into the meeting a few minutes before it starts, some of the other Students have already gathered there. Tae sits absentmindedly at an empty table playing a game on her phone while she waits for the others to funnel in.**

HARUKO: (Crap… this is High School all over again… _where do I sit???_ )

HARUKO: (Maybe with Ou-san, because I already know her? Wait, but wouldn’t that be kind of presumptuous of me? I don’t know if she considers me a friend yet…)

HARUKO: (If I sit at an empty table, people will think I’m some kind of gloomy freak and probably make it their goal to annoy me… I can’t have that either…)

**Haruko scans the room again. The others that are already here are Isamu, Naoki, Yumi, and Noelle. Noelle and Yumi share a table, but Isamu and Naoki don’t.**

HARUKO: (Ryuuzaki-san is… loud, I don’t think I could handle sitting next to himmm… euurghh… Naoki’s quiet, but I don’t wanna bother him… Hoohggh…)

NOELLE: Kamiki-chan! Over here!

HARUKO: Eh…?

NOELLE: [turns to YUMI] Did-- did she not hear me? Hang on, [tries to bring up megaphone]

YUMI: [gently pushes it down with a serene expression] Haruko-samaaa!

HARUKO: (Okay… I guess there is good, then.)

**After Haruko sits down people start funneling in, quietly taking a seat and talking amongst themselves. Tae doesn’t seem to pay them much mind. At 11 AM, she speaks up.**

TAE: Is that everyone?

KAORU: I-I think so, yeah… 

AI: [bluntly] It’s not.

HARUKO: Wait, really? Imada-san, who’s missing?

AI: S-seriously? If y-you humans don’t learn to keep track of your group, there’s no way you’ll survive anything.

**As strange as she is, she has somewhat of a point. The less attached everyone feels to each other, the more likely it is that someone kills.**

AI: [fiddles with hood, looks away] I-it’s the pink-haired girl. _Higuchi._

**Haruko scans the room for any sign of Zenko, but finds nothing. Her coat is big and noticeable, so she’d know if it's in the room too.**

YOSHIJIROU: You think we should start without her? [crosses arms] That chick prolly doesn’t care about this.

TAE: I mean, I guess, but that’d be kinda dumb. This meeting needs everyone in _full_ attendance for it to work, y’know?

SOO-MIN: Now I’m just thinking about someone in half attendance. Like, slice down the waist, your top half goes to the meeting while your legs hit the treadmill. Multitasking at its finest.

MIZUKI: [giggles] Or you could just be so spaced out that you’re only half-there mentally.

SOO-MIN: If two people fused, would both be fully attended or half attended?

SHIGERU: [timidly] That’d probably just make a new person, so really, neither of them would be in attendance.

SOO-MIN: [cracking up] Honestly, _much_ funnier. “Hey, let’s fuse so we can both be here,” and then _neither_ of them get to show up because they turned into a new person! Uh oh!

**A few of the attendees laugh, Haruko knows Sully is one of them because hers is especially distinct. It makes Haruko think of a noblewoman.**

NAOKI: I-is this seriously our action plan? To screw around until she gets here?

TAE: Well, it’s not the _ideal_ way, but yeah, pretty much. Bonding is important too.

HARUKO: (Jeez, Ou-san’s quick to let a plan change… I guess that’s why she’s pretty good with them.)

NAOKI: [under his breath] How do people bond over jokes that… _unfunny?_

YOSHIJIROU: It ain’t that hard! It doesn’t have to be funny, it’s just gotta be… fun!

NAOKI: E.

YOSHIJIROU: [squints at that] … 

NAOKI: Fun. E. 

YOSHIJIROU: … OH! [laughs stupidly] I got it! That-- that was funny! Yer good!

NAOKI: [tired, smiles] Please stop being so endearingly easy to impress, you’re making me feel like I’m manipulating you.

YOSHIJIROU: Oh, uh, got it! [puts on a comically stern face. it only lasts a few seconds before he starts laughing again]

NAOKI: [sighs, almost disappointed] God.

SOO-MIN: Aw, _c’mon_ Kurosawa-kun, you were laughin’ a little too.

NAOKI: A little, I was laughing a _little._ Sometimes jokes are so unfunny that they _become_ funny just because of how ironically terrible they are.

SOO-MIN: [doubtful, shrugs] It wasn’t _that_ bad.

MIZUKI: I thought your joke was _lovely,_ Cho-san.

SOO-MIN: Aww, see? I got some admirers. You could learn a thing or two from Satou-san over here. She knows where it’s at.

MIZUKI: [giggles girlily] 

NAOKI: You all are making it _so_ hard to be annoyed right now.

YOSHIJIROU: I can annoy ya if you want, Naoki-kun.

XIAOLU: _Naoki-kun?_ Oh, already on a first name basis, I see.

NAOKI: [hisses] _We are not._

NAOKI: Tachibana-san over here just thinks it’s socially acceptable to call _everyone_ by their first name!

YOSHIJIROU: [loudly] FORMALITY IS FOR NARCS!

**Haruko laughs along with a good portion of the other Students. Maybe being stuck here isn’t the worst thing that could have happened to them.**

HARUKO: (Cool, the mood has effectively been lightened!)

**There are footsteps coming from the stairs, Haruko turns to their source.**

HARUKO: That’s probably Higuchi-san.

XIAOLU: Guess the fun’s over, then.

MIZUKI: Ren-san…

XIAOLU: [smirks] I’m kidding! I dunno who this girl is. She’s the pink one, right?

**As if on cue, Zenko opens the door and waves a piece of paper in her thin fingers.**

ZENKO: I got your note or _whatever,_ what are we like… doing here? [lightly slips it into a trash can]

ZENKO: … Aaahh, I see, you guys were having fun before I got here and I had to ruin it with my presence. Boo hoo. [smirks] Jeez, you guys are obvious.

HARUKO: Uh, Higuchi-san, it wasn’t--

ZENKO: Shush, I don’t actually care. You can talk about me behind my back all you want, just know that it’s a two-way street, and I’m gonna take advantage of that.

**Zenko gently sits down at an empty table and crosses her legs femininely, letting her arms follow suit.**

HARUKO: (And the mood is back to zero _again._ Thanks, Higuchi.)

TAE: Welp, now that Higuchi-chan is here, we can start the actual meeting!

TAE: [cheery] It’s about kidnapping!

**Haruko is caught off guard and starts coughing.**

HARUKO: K-kidnapping?

TAE: [like it’s the most obvious thing in the world] Well, we were all kidnapped. If there’s a link between all of us, then figuring out when and how we were kidnapped might be a good start.

NAOKI: That’s a good point. A lot of the motivation for a crime can show up in how it’s carried out… like a kidnapper putting seatbelts on the kids he’s taking.

NAOKI: If we can figure out _how…_ and maybe _where_ we were kidnapped, then the _who_ and the _why_ might be easier to figure out.

ISAMU: … [weakly] I guess I follow that.

**A general murmur of agreement falls over the crowd.**

TAE: So, if we all agree, who goes first?

**No one wants to speak up, unsurprisingly.**

HARUKO: We could always use our numbers on the Monophone… that is, if no one wants to volunteer.

TAE: Good plan! So that’d make me… [checks phone] number one. Huh. Fitting.

NOELLE: So how’s this gonna work? You’re just gonna… talk about how you got kidnapped?

TAE: Yeah. That’s the idea. I thought it was pretty obvious. Everyone takes turns telling what was going on when they got got.

TAE: As for me… I was actually with Kamiki-chan.

SULLY: Oh, really now~?

TAE: No, no, we both got kidnapped at the same time, she didn’t kidnap me.

TAE: It was 9:30, so I asked her to walk me to my dorm, and when we got in the elevator, this weird white smoke filled it up and I totally passed out.

TAE: I’m pretty sure Kamiki-chan was losing it too! Basically all I remember is her yelling about something!

HARUKO: [clutches chest] That’s… kind of embarrassing… 

SHIGERU: So are you two friends?

XIAOLU: Yeah, you two have been awfully chummy ever since you got here, as far as I’ve seen.

HARUKO: I-I don’t really know how to describe our relationship, really. Really!

TAE: We’re acquaintances. Bordering on friends, but we don’t really talk much back home, y’know? Kamiki-chan just kind of has the vibe of someone to watch out for, so I figured she’d do as a makeshift bodyguard.

HARUKO: (D-do I really look that creepy?)

TAE: Sooo that’s my story. Next up would be Iwanami-chan, right?

NOELLE: … Alright, I guess. My story ain’t gonna help much, though.

NOELLE: [crosses arms] It was around 2 AM and I couldn’t get to sleep, so I decided to try n’ go to the community kitchen, for a snack or something.

NOELLE: … But, as soon as I get there, there’s this bag over my head, and I can hear this weird _hissing_ noise… From Ou-chan’s account, that’s probably the gas they use to put us to sleep.

YOSHIJIROU: Yeesh. Majorly uncool.

HARUKO: I guess that’s pretty par for the course for these guys… 

NOELLE: Yeah. Fuckin’ sucked.

TAE: Alright, next up is… Ryuuzaki-chan! Go on big guy, tell us how you got got!

YUMI: Erm, Ou-sama, Ryuuzaki-sama isn’t exactly--

ISAMU: It’s fine. It’s fine. I’ll just get it over with.

ISAMU: [shifts in his chair] I was workin’ out my tris in the gym, and I got real into it. Then I kinda noticed I was gettin’ a little light-headed, but… I figgered that was just the burn, so I didn’t do anything about it.

ISAMU: Next thing I know, I’m zonked out next to some weird-ass building, and… that’s about when you saw me, Kamiki-san.

ZENKO: Christ.

TAE: Mmm… noted. This was in the Hope’s Peak gym, right?

ISAMU: [takes a while to respond] Yeah.

TAE: Got it. Imada-chan, you’re up.

AI: D-do I have to?

TAE: Well, you could always go later, but ideally you’d do it now. Like, _now._

AI: Ffffine.

AI: I-I was in my room… it was in the early hours of the m-morning, when I heard a knock at my door. I ignored it, obviously, but the next thing I knew, there was this strange noise, and I started to feel very tired.

AI: I looked around for the source, but… by the time I figured it out, it was too late.

YUMI: Oh dear… that must have been terrible.

NAOKI: Yeah. I feel pretty sorry for you, honestly.

AI: It _was._ It sucked, but I should expect the worst from all of you humans… I don’t know why I haven’t learned my lesson yet.

AI: Okay, I’m done, g-get to the next person, quick.

TAE: Right-o. That’s you, Sully-chan.

SULLY: It’s my turn, yes? _Mirabilis!_ I’ve been waiting to tell this one!

SULLY: [plays with earrings] I was practicing my fencing in the courtyard in the dead of night, when I heard something behind me-- obviously, I turned to the source, when the scoundrel appeared!

SULLY: Hastening, I decided to use all my prowess and give them a quick jab to the stomach! Of course, I did, but much to my chagrin, my blade was simply a falsehood, and the kidnapper immediately stuffed a bag over my head.

SULLY: When I awoke, I was in the park.

KAORU: S-so… you were practicing without anyone around, heard someone, poked them in the stomach with your fake sword, and got kidnapped.

SULLY: Ohoho! But of course!

HARUKO: (There really is nothing that can bring her ego down, huh?)

TAE: So you saw the kidnapper?

SULLY: I would think so… but I can’t remember any of their features… they were wearing a gas mask, but that’s all I can think of, really.

TAE: Weird.

TAE: Okay, next up… Kohana-chan.

SHIGERU: M-me?

TAE: Yes you, spill it.

SHIGERU: Ah… alright… 

SHIGERU: [awkward] Really, mine isn’t anything special, though.

SHIGERU: … I was in my garden, and this scary person showed up, and the next thing I knew, boom, I’m here.

TAE: Your garden?

SHIGERU: Y-yeah, I have a little one in my lab.

TAE: And that’s it, right?

SHIGERU: Yeah… I told you it wasn’t anything special.

TAE: That’s fine, honestly. Higuchi-chan?

ZENKO: [terse] What?

TAE: You’re up. How did you get here?

ZENKO: … Whatever, I’ll go.

ZENKO: I was doing some stretches in my room when it happened. It was like, what, 11 PM? I dunno, but whenever it was, I heard someone banging on my door. I decided to get a knife to protect myself and crack it a little, but when I did, I just passed out like some kind of like, _fainting goat_ or something, it was _super_ weird.

ZENKO: And now I’m in this shitshow with all you guys!

TAE: Thanks for cooperating, Higuchi-chan.

ZENKO: Don’t mention it. Ever.

TAE: Next up should be Tachibana-chan, since he’s number eight. Halfway there!

YOSHIJIROU: Aw, cool, eight’s like, my third favorite number!

YOSHIJIROU: Okay, so, I was at the gym--

KAORU: [rolls eyes] Y-you don’t have to lie to us… 

YOSHIJIROU: … B-but I was.

ISAMU: I can confirm. He left a little before they got me.

YOSHIJIROU: Oh, yeah, yeah!

YOSHIJIROU: So I was leavin’ the gym, cuz I was tired, so I was puttin’ all my stuff on, and I said bye to Isamu-kun, and then when I leave, I just kinda… flop on da ground, y’know?

YOSHIJIROU: I just kinda lay there for a second, thinkin’ like, “well, this is weird,” and waitin’ till I can get up…

YOSHIJIROU: [scratches back of head] But uh… didn’t happen.

CONNOR: You and Ryuuzaki-san… you were kidnapped together?

YOSHIJIROU: A little bit. Kinda. We were both at the gym, I just left before he did.

TAE: That’s pretty interesting, actually. Either way, next up is Teruya-chan.

KAORU: … O-okay… 

KAORU: So, uh, I was, um… I was walking back to my dorm, s-since I just bought a new plushie… it was on sale from the sixth, so I got there at 12 AM… 

KAORU: B-but, uh, when I got back… someone put a bag over my head, and… yeah.

HARUKO: The sixth?

KAORU: Y-yeah, it was the sixth… or, well, it _just_ got to be the 6th, s-since it was midnight. What’s wrong with that?

HARUKO: Teruya-san, it’s the eighth.

KAORU: … Huh?

ZENKO: Wait, hold on! This kid got kidnapped _over twenty-four hours_ before we all woke up here?

TAE: [surprised] It looks like it… 

ISAMU: Wait, WHAT?! We were kidnapped on the 6th too! Me and Tachibana-kun! It was early mornin’, and that’s when they got us!

HARUKO: So… they somehow used enough of that sleeping gas to keep you knocked out for _over a day…_

HARUKO: Ryuuzaki-san, Tachibana-san, you aren’t small people… they must have a _lot_ of this stuff… 

YUMI: Oh dear… this isn’t good. So our kidnappers… surely they have a lot of power, right? If they have that much of this sleeping gas?

NAOKI: Not necessarily, actually.

YUMI: Huh?

NAOKI: Well, there _is_ another thing that strikes me about Teruya-san’s testimony…

NAOKI: If our kidnappers had a lot of people, wouldn’t they be able to kidnap us all on the same day?

HARUKO: (… … … … … … Ah!)

CONNOR: So, what, you’re saying this was all done by one person? That can’t be possible, right?

NAOKI: No, I’m saying it was probably done by a smaller group than we’d think.

NAOKI: Sure, it’s probably a pretty influential group if they can pull something like this off-- Monokuma’s technology is pretty advanced, as far as I can see… but still, if it’s a small group of people, that must mean they share similar motivations.

NAOKI: I’m leaning towards ransom on this. Rich people always want more money, right?

ZENKO: [suddenly] So you’re saying it could be one of us?

**Silence.**

NAOKI: … 

HARUKO: … 

TAE: … 

ZENKO: You are, aren’t you? A small group of people who have similar motivations but are still rather influential… that sounds _exactly_ like a group of Hope’s Peak students.

ZENKO: You know what, I’m convinced. I’m convinced! Whoever kidnapped us is _definitely_ part of this little group right here.

NAOKI: I-I, uh… that’s… 

NAOKI: Crap, you have a point… That’d make a lot of sense… 

YOSHIJIROU: Yo, _yo,_ ** _yo!!_** We can’t make judgements like that too quick, y’know? We gotta listen to everyone else’s story, right? Uh… maybe one’a them’ll have somethin’ that _proves_ it’s someone else.

ZENKO: Mmm… the chubby guy has a point too… I’m still sticking by my theory, but I’m _all ears_ if someone wants to prove me wrong.

HARUKO: (How is she so smug…? Even if I know she’s wrong, her aura just makes her seem so _sure_ of herself… it’s scary.)

TAE: Then next up should be Cho-chan.

SOO-MIN: Me? Well, I’m fine with that.

SOO-MIN: [scratches back of head] I was about to start a late-night stream, nothin’ special, I was just playin’ a game I liked, y’know?

SOO-MIN: Then, all of a sudden, POW POW POW! Someone bangs on my friggin’ door like a lunatic! It was weird as shit!

SOO-MIN: For a second I thought I was bein’ swatted, so I figure that if I’m gonna get through this with as little trouble as possible, I better open the door.

SOO-MIN: And then, when I did that… I ended up here. And then I climbed a tree.

SOO-MIN: In hindsight, thinking it was another swatting was kinda dumb, since I hadn’t even started the stream yet.

YUMI: What is this… _swatting_ you’re talking about?

SOO-MIN: It’s an internet prank people do where they call the police and order a swat team to your address. They come with guns and everything.

NOELLE: Fuckin’ cops, always ruining everything… in the new world, we’re gonna get rid of _all_ their asses, I swear on it!

TAE: Love your passion, Iwanami-chan, but we’ve got 6 more people to go!

TAE: Speaking of, Ren-chan, your move!

XIAOLU: Oh. Alright.

XIAOLU: It was 4 AM and I hadn’t slept yet, so I chugged a bunch of nyquil and when I woke up, I was here.

TAE: … 

XIAOLU: [mimes ghost hands] OOoOOOOoooOoOOO!! Scaaaary!

TAE: You did this in your _dorm,_ right?

XIAOLU: Uh, yeah? Where else?

TAE: Noted. Ogasawara-chan?

YUMI: Um… is it my turn?

TAE: Yup. The floor is yours.

YUMI: Uh, well… it was late, and I thought, before I went to bed, it’d be nice if I took out everyone’s trash… so I went to the garbage disposal unit and put all the trash that had compiled around there and put it in…

YUMI: After that, I went back, opened my door, and I was met with a facefull of white smoke… and I began to feel a little tired.

YUMI: And then I woke up on the beach.

TAE: So your kidnappers filled your room _before_ you got in there?

YUMI: [embarrassed smile] Well, if you can figure out some other way for my story to be true… then I’d appreciate it. But yes. They did.

TAE: Alright, Kurosawa-chan?

NAOKI: _Do not_ call me that.

NAOKI: Whatever-- my story’s just like the rest of you guys. I was in my room and it was late-- I was working on my tabloid for the paper and the deadline was pretty soon so I had to stay up late if I wanted to finish it punctually.

NAOKI: I passed out with my head on my desk, and then when I woke up, I was here.

TAE: No smoke?

NAOKI: Uh, yeah. I guess I was already asleep by the time they came around…? Who knows, honestly.

TAE: Hm. Interesting. Connor-chan, you’re up.

CONNOR: Uh, mine’s a little embarrassing, so sorry in advance.

CONNOR: I think mine’s a little earlier than all you guys’, because I got kidnapped at around… 8 PM on the 6th.

CONNOR: I didn’t have much else to do, so I decided to go on the roof and look at the stars, tryin’ to see if I could find some constellations, y’know?

CONNOR: It was so quiet and so pretty… I guess I sorta passed out early, y’know?

CONNOR: I thought I’d wake up on the roof again, but I was on the grass the next day. Freaky stuff, man.

TAE: You too, huh?

CONNOR: Yeah… I guess if they’re gonna kidnap us in the witching hours, some of us would actually be asleep, y’know?

MIZUKI: I was too… Well, for most of it.

TAE: You’re actually up next, Satou-chan! Spill!

MIZUKI: Well, if you say so.

MIZUKI: I go to sleep around 10 PM, since I like waking up early to watch the sun rise. But this time I woke up a little too early.

MIZUKI: It was around 3 AM, I believe? Yeah, something like that. I didn’t know why I was awake, but then I heard a noise outside my window… I leave it open, just to let the wind in-- but It sounded like rustling, so I wondered what it was.

MIZUKI: I got on my shoes and wandered outside. When I got there, though, there weren’t any animals… just a hissing noise.

MIZUKI: [fiddling with hands] I think you can guess what happened after that.

TAE: I see. Haruko?

HARUKO: My story’s the same as yours, Ou-san… we both got kidnapped at the same time.

TAE: Oh! Right!

TAE: [playing a game on her phone] So, that’s everyone?

MIZUKI: Yeah, we all got a turn. I’m number fifteen, and there are sixteen people here, so I’m almost positive we didn’t skip anyone.

TAE: Lovely. Kurosawa-kun, did you hear anything interesting in all that?

NAOKI: Uh… yeah, actually.

NAOKI: [thinking] Every person here… was kidnapped at the same place.

HARUKO: (… Wait, what?)

NAOKI: We were all kidnapped at Hope’s Peak University on June 6th, right? So… It’s theoretically possible that our kidnappers just picked off a bunch of people who seemed like they’d be easy to kidnap.

NAOKI: And-- think about it. Every person who got kidnapped with another student… they brought that student _with_ them, like Kamiki-san and Ou-san.

ISAMU: S-so yer sayin’ that… they just picked us at random…? 

NAOKI: No, Ryuuzaki-san, I’m saying they _could_ have picked us at random. I honestly doubt they did, but it’s still a possibility. 

NAOKI: Our link, though, is our connection to Hope’s Peak. That’s probably why we of all people were chosen.

NAOKI: What does Hope’s Peak represent to most average people?

CONNOR: Well, duh, it’s Hope. We’re the beacons of hope for the future of mankind, or something like that.

NAOKI: So… if two beacons of hope were to murder each other in cold blood, what would you say that conveys?

ZENKO: That hope is easily corrupted. It’s mutable and fragile and can break any second?

NAOKI: … Thank you for your… blunt assessment, Higuchi-san.

ZENKO: [cheerily catty] Welcome!

YOSHIJIROU: So that’s why we’re doin’ this, then? Cuz we’re the beacons of hope?

NAOKI: I doubt that’s the only reason, but It’s definitely _part_ of the main idea. We’re all beacons of hope, so if we get corrupted by the game to leave the island, then… well, you get the idea. It’s sending a point.

MIZUKI: Erm, excuse me. Why are you talking like the rest of the world can see this? I don’t think sending a message would be on Monokuma’s mind if he’s not broadcasting it anywhere.

NAOKI: He’s _definitely_ broadcasting this. I don’t know where, but somewhere, someone’s seeing this.

NOELLE: T-that just ain’t right.. There’s gotta be some other reason.

NAOKI: I dunno, but right now, my assessment is the best we’ve got.

YUMI: … So what do we do now?

**Yumi’s question pushed the room into silence.**

YUMI: While it’s nice that we have a better idea of why we’re here… but it’s not as though we can leave once we figure out why Monokuma brought us.

YUMI: So… what do we do?

NAOKI: … I don’t know.

ZENKO: [checking her nails] How honest.

NAOKI: Seriously, I don’t know. I have zero idea what we do now. If this is being broadcast somewhere, then people should try and help, but… we don’t even know where we are. Let alone _other people._

NAOKI: So… for now, I guess we just have to try and stake it out. Make sure no one kills anyone until we get rescued.

ISAMU: No way! Why the hell should we hafta stay on this shitty-ass island?! I want out, and I want out _now._

NAOKI: I don’t like it either! I’m just saying, we can’t do anything about our situation. It’s best to leave it to the people who can.

ISAMU: … This ain’t right, man.

NOELLE: Why the hell do we gotta _go through this!?_ This shit is pissing me _off!!_

MONOKUMA: Well, there’s a way to stop it, y’know!

**The center of attention is diverted to Monokuma, who has just appeared in the middle of the room.**

CONNOR: H-how the hell did you even get here!?

MONOKUMA: I’m a bear. I know things.

MONOKUMA: But, y’know, you had this whole meeting about how you got kidnapped, and you barely even _mention_ me! Y’know, _me!_ That’s gotta be a crime in at least three countries!

NAOKI: I think kidnapping is a crime in… every country.

MONOKUMA: Irrelevant!

MONOKUMA: Now, I’m just sayin’, if you wanna get outta here so bad, then…

MONOKUMA: [lunges] KILL SOMEBODY ALREADY!!

MONOKUMA: Seriously, this friggin’ Coffee Shop AU is getting _way_ too fluffy for my taste! I need something with more citrus!

SOO-MIN: Why would we kill someone? That’s _really_ stupid, the easier option would just be to wait it out. You’re a pretty shitty game designer.

MONOKUMA: Wait, you seriously think this is all I got?

HARUKO: … W-what are you talking about?

MONOKUMA: A good host doesn’t save his best bits for the opening act! As long as you’re on an island, you’ll have motivation for murder!

MONOKUMA: And… starting tomorrow, you’ll have even more!

SHIGERU: … Uh, excuse me?

MONOKUMA: You heard me, Flower Child! Motivation isn’t something I forgot about-- in fact, it’s practically my strong suit!

MONOKUMA: … However, you’ll hafta wait and see what I mean by that. Surprises are great, right?

TAE: Wow. Something is definitely wrong with you, huh?

HARUKO: (Was that being questioned?!)

MONOKUMA: [peppy and adorable] Yup! I’ll have you guys killing each other in no time flat! I’m one-hundred percent certain that someone’s gonna die soon!

YUMI: You… abhorrent little bear… how do you look at your parents after doing something like this? If you really are one of us, then out yourself and _maybe_ we’ll spare you!

MONOKUMA: Parents? Ain’t got none.

YOSHIJIROU: [squints] Y-you’re named after yer dad, though… you said that before, right?

MONOKUMA: Yup! As a prerequisite for my awfulness, I need a tragic backstory-- so I’m an orphan! 

MONOKUMA: You know, like Litterbox over here!

AI: !!! [pulls hood tighter over head]

MONOKUMA: Why’re you bein’ so shy? I mean, there’s nothin’ wrong with that! I mean, especially with _how they went…_ Man, that’s the perfect tragic backstory for a Student if I’ve ever heard one!

AI: [on the verge of breaking] I-I… I--!!

NOELLE: Oh that’s it, come here you little prick! I’ll kill you-- I’m gonna KILL YOU!!

HARUKO: I-Iwanami-san, no--!!

**Noelle raises her fist in the air.** **Haruko moves without thinking.** **Noelle’s fist makes a dull thud on contact with Haruko’s skull. The last thing she feels before she passes out is two different throbbing aches on either side of her head-- a part of her in the very back of her mind tells her that one of those is probably the floor.**

**Haruko’s consciousness once again fades into the ground.**

**She’s definitely gonna need more aspirin when this is over.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are some polls for Chapter 1!
> 
> > VICTIM PREDICTION: https://strawpoll.com/81zyhfe4  
> > KILLER PREDICTION: https://strawpoll.com/szfws3e5
> 
> This is a bit of a boring update, sorry about that. It'll ramp up soon enough, so don't worry.


	5. [1-2] [Daily] What Remains to be Seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to pick up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warnings: There's a scene where a character has a panic attack, and we get to see what they're thinking. This is directly after the flashback, so please take caution if you're sensitive to that.

… … … … … …

… … … … … 

… … … …

… … … 

… …

… 

**Haruko isn’t sure when she wakes up. She feels her consciousness come back to herself at one point, but her eyes are still closed, and she can barely think anything coherent. She has no idea how long this goes on for. There’s a dull thudding ache in her head that refuses to go away-- no doubt a product of Noelle’s fist.**

**When she finally gets the energy to think, it’s pretty much dark out.**

HARUKO: (Ururghurghgfguhfhgughuughghhg…)

HARUKO: (… Wuh happen…)

HARUKO: [checks her phone] (... 6:35, huh? How did I sleep through the whole day…? Jeez, I’m pathetic. This place is gonna kill me.)

HARUKO: (Probably literally.)

  
HARUKO: … 

**Haruko rubs her eyes and gets out of bed. She dry-swallows some more aspirin and puts on her coat before heading out of the room.**

HARUKO: (... I feel like it’d be a miracle if I’m not the first one gone.)

**When she gets outside, she realizes that it’s not totally dark out, it’s more just… blue. When the sun isn’t quite there yet, but not quite gone. She absently walks down the stairs of her cabin and looks around.**

HARUKO: (I guess no one’s up yet. I can’t just go back to bed-- I’m probably the most awake I’ve been all week, honestly.)

HARUKO: (... I sure do pass out a lot, huh… Wonder why…)

TAE: Kamiki-chaan!

HARUKO: A-AUAH!?

TAE: Calm down Kamiki-chan, I’m just saying hi. You’re so easy to startle! It’s worrying!

HARUKO: Ah… sorry… 

TAE: Uuugh, don’t do that either! Seriously, it depresses me when you’re all gloomy like that~

HARUKO: H-how does that work…?

  
TAE: It’s called human empathy, Kamiki-chan. You ever heard of it?

HARUKO: Oh. Yeah, right.

HARUKO: Wait, what are you doing up? It’s 6:30, isn’t breakfast still in another hour?

TAE: As if I’d let this stupid island game mess up my schedule. I wake up at 6:30 _every_ day, no exceptions. I’m pretty sure Satou-chan does too. Maybe a bit later than right now, though. You know that weird cart she has? She’s been pushing it around since we got here.

HARUKO: Her… cart…?

TAE: Y’know, the one with all the cakes, and the weird floral tarp? She said she gave you some pecan pie.

HARUKO: Oh. Yeah, she did.

TAE: She does that with everyone. Says it’s to keep morale up, or something? Whatever it is, it’s useful. I don’t know anything that keeps people alive more than food. Aside from like, water, or something?

TAE: … Oh, yeah, you’re up. I totally forgot Iwanami-chan accidentally clocked you into the somnium realm. You want some coffee? They have a machine in the kitchen, like, by the dining hall, y’know?

HARUKO: … I-I guess I could go for some. They have creamer, right?

TAE: They sure do, if you’re the weird type who likes drinking caffeinated milk every morning.

HARUKO: It’s not _that_ weird… 

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko sits alone at a table in the dining hall, waiting for Tae to arrive with both of their coffees.**

TAE: Heere you go! One cup of energy milk for you, Kamiki-chan, and one cup of actual coffee for me~

HARUKO: Thank you for the _coffee,_ Ou-san.

TAE: Energy milk, Kamiki-chan, get it right.

HARUKO: [sighs,] What did you wanna talk about anyways?

TAE: [tilts head] Huh?

HARUKO: You probably have something you want to discuss, right? So… what is it? It’s gotta be pretty important if you wanna talk about it with me.

TAE: Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. I just wanted to talk with you.

HARUKO: … [cocks an eyebrow]

HARUKO: (That seems kind of out-of-character for Ou-san… I wonder what’s actually going on.)

TAE: Hey, I know I don’t exactly seem like the type for small-talk, but I’ve wanted to get to know you better for a pretty long time, y’know?

TAE: You’re a pretty interesting person, even if you don’t look it. I want to know what kind of person you really are.

HARUKO: I-I see. Guess there’s worse ways to use this whole, ‘being trapped on a death island’ thing, right?

TAE: Yup! Sooo, I was thinking…

TAE: Maybe we could gossip a little?

HARUKO: You want to get to know me… by talking about other people?

TAE: Yeah. You can tell a lot about someone by how they talk about other people. Do they stand up for their friends, are they honest or do they just go with the flow, will they stick to their beliefs or just adhere to your statements so that you don’t hate them… stuff like that.

TAE: … Plus, gossip is real fun. You of all people should know, right? You’re a journalist. Gossip is basically your job.

HARUKO: I-I don’t write for magazines, Ou-san… I usually just update my own blog…

TAE: And you _don’t_ gossip on there?! For shame, Kamiki-chan, I thought you’d know how to have fun at least a little better than that!

HARUKO: I dunno… it just feels wrong, writing about people’s social lives like that.

TAE: Oh, yeah, magazines do it all wrong. Gossip isn’t about judgement, it’s about opinions. There’s a big fat difference in between those. Opinions and judgement can overlap, I guess, but they’re definitely not the same thing. I think they’re more like distant cousins that see each other occasionally and sorta forget each other's names halfway there, y’know?

HARUKO: (W-what… I don’t… understand… )

HARUKO: Uh, sure. I think I get it.

TAE: Either way, I’m getting bored of just talking about gossip. How about we _actually_ gossip, for real?

HARUKO: Um. Okay.

TAE: Perfect! Have any of the others caught your eye? Any cute boys, cute girls?

HARUKO: I-I don’t know if I’d say that, but… 

HARUKO: Higuchi-san… I just can’t get a good read on her.

TAE: Higuchi? Oh, yeah, Higuchi-chan is a weirdo, I dunno what’s up with her either. I wish she’d cover her shoulders too! So weird, y’know, doesn’t she get cold?

HARUKO: Isn’t this island pretty warm, though? Not uncomfortably, though… it’s-- it’s like a perfect warmth.

TAE: Huh? Not really. Honestly, it’s pretty cool most of the time.

HARUKO: G-guess I’m more used to the cold than you… 

TAE: You sure stutter a lot, don’t you? Guess it’s cuz you’re the gloomy type, no big deal, honestly, I hate people who are too articulate.

TAE: Speaking of stutters, _Teruya._

HARUKO: You don’t like him, do you…?

TAE: Of course not! Do you?

HARUKO: I-I dunno, I think he’s sweet.

TAE: His vibe is way off. He seems like the type to insult people behind their backs.

HARUKO: You mean like you’re doing right now?

TAE: Well, yeah, but I’m not pretending to be Teruya-chan’s friend! The difference between gossip and insults is how snakey you are about it! Take notes, Kamiki-chan.

HARUKO: [nods and actually starts taking notes in her notebook, mumbles to herself]

TAE: I was joking, but you know what, those might actually be useful later! Good job, Kamiki-chan.

HARUKO: (H-how am I supposed to respond to that…?)

TAE: That’s enough about Teruya-chan, though, I don’t wanna talk about that blondie for longer than necessary. How abouuuut… Iwanami?

HARUKO: Iwanami-san? (But she’s blonde too…)

TAE: Yeah! If we’re gonna worry about Higuchi-chan for having her shoulders out, we should definitely worry for Iwanami-chan’s poor midriff!

HARUKO: What about Ryuuzaki-san?

TAE: … 

TAE: [smiling cheerily, eyes closed] Point taken!

**Haruko and Tae both giggle for a little bit. It’s been a while since they’ve done something like this.**

TAE: Heheh, why don’t we talk more, Kamiki-chan?

HARUKO: Because you’re always busy, and you want to talk to other people when you have free time.

TAE: Touche. 

HARUKO: Y-yeah. So much for being an interesting person, right?

TAE: [checks nails] You’re interesting, we just don’t talk a lot because neither of us are focused on each other, y’know?

TAE: Just because something is objectively interesting doesn’t mean that you can’t focus on something else for a little while. That’s why ‘interest’ has a plural.

HARUKO: I guess that’s true… (Why do you always say such weird things, though?)

**Haruko and Tae talk aimlessly for a while, giggling at each other’s jokes and drinking their coffees.**

HARUKO: Ou-san, I’m curious… your attitude, it really doesn’t remind me of an ambassador, but you managed to be an Ultimate. How are you so generally _important_ and good at your job when you have such an… unfitting personality for it?

TAE: [playfully rolls eyes] Oh, of _course_ something this low-down would turn into an interview with you.

TAE: Fine, I’ll play along, that’s one of your endearing qualities anyway~

HARUKO: Uh, thank you? (I don’t interview people that often, right…?)

TAE: It’s fine, it’s not like, _new info_ anyways. I’ve already told you.

TAE: [tends hands, smiles cattily] Y’see, Kamiki-chan, no one’s paying me right now.

HARUKO: Come again?

TAE: I said what I said, no one’s paying me. I’m _really_ good at what I do, but I’m not gonna do it if you don’t name a price!

HARUKO: What even _is it_ that you do?

TAE: Jeeeeez Kamiki-chan! You really don’t know much about my professional life, huh?

TAE: Well, whatever, I _love_ talking about myself, so I’ll spill! 

TAE: [formal position, fancy voice] The job of an Ambassador, in its most simple form, is to promote a positive relationship between two entities.

TAE: [back to normal] … But usually, I’m just a PR guy. Most of the time I just promote a better relationship between any company that wants me and their customers-- but, obviously, that’s not all I do. _As y’know,_ I’ve gotten into politics lately, and I acted as a representative of a potentially warring country and shut that down fast!

HARUKO: H-how do you even do that? You aren’t a citizen of either of those countries, right?

TAE: Well, yeah, but they gave me money. So. Yeah.

HARUKO: Why are you so obsessed with money, Ou-san? You’re rich. You have all the money you could ever want.

TAE: Who knows how long that’ll last, y’know? I wasn’t always rich, Kamiki-chan.

HARUKO: Uh-- huh?

TAE: Fun trivia fact about me, Kamiki-chan, I used to be _omega poor,_ like, just above food stamps level.

HARUKO: _That poor?_ How’d your family get out of that…?

TAE: Easy, they didn’t.

HARUKO: … Pardon?

TAE: They didn’t get better. Kamiki-chan, my real parents left me at an orphanage before I ever had a chance to remember them. That orphanage happened to be _real_ poor, and couldn’t really support all the kids they got, y’know?

TAE: So we all just lived as a poor family. Basically no one ever adopted any of us, so we just had to treat the orphanage like our home. And it was, for most of my life, at least.

HARUKO: … What changed that?

TAE: The Ou family.

TAE: [checks nails] They adopted all of us at once, paid the orphanage enough to let the girl running it retire early, and took us all home on the same day. Like something out of a Christmas movie-- a genuine, miraculous act of kindness.

HARUKO: That’s… _incredible,_ genuinely, but… Your tone says something else, Ou-san.

TAE: Well, I’m not lying. It was a genuine act of kindness, but you need to be very selfish in order to be kind to other people.

TAE: All of us figured out this was probably a stunt for public relations pretty quick-- but they treated us well, and most of us got settled in pretty quick. Eventually, we almost considered the Ou family… well, just that, our _actual_ family. Some of us, though, never really got over the fact that they probably adopted us for clout.

TAE: I don’t mind, though. The Ous are nice enough, I’m perfectly fine carrying their surname… and, well, their reputation.

HARUKO: Jeez… Everything makes so much more sense about you now. Is your background why you feel so strongly about wealthy people? Like you say in your speeches.

TAE: [giggles], “Put a gun to their heads and they’ll decide Charity or Death.” Love that quote, very proud that I came up with it! But, uh, yeah, that’s why~

TAE: The Ou family isn’t even that rich. We’re _very rich,_ but we’re not _that rich._ We aren’t the richest people in Japan by a good thirty billion dollars. No one can understand just how much that is.

HARUKO: One-hundred million times ten is one billion, multiplied by twenty-three… [mutters to herself for a little while] Y-yeah, you’re right, I can’t even start to consider just… the _quantity_ of all of that… 

TAE: Yeah, really. If one _pretty-rich_ family can completely change the lives of twelve kids without making much of a dent in their wallet, just _imagine_ how much good the _richest_ people can create.

TAE: [closes eyes] And yet.

HARUKO: [sighs] Yeah… That tragedy from thirty years ago-- it’s still hitting us pretty hard, huh?

TAE: Yup. I wish someone would just figure out what happened and tell us so we can stop it from happening again, y’know? How does something that big happen with _no one_ knowing what it is?

HARUKO: How many people died around then, again?

TAE: [thinking pose] Around a hundred-million, I think? Globally, not in Japan. We got hit pretty hard though, I think around thirty percent of the casualties were here.

HARUKO: Jeez. That’s around thirty-million, right?

TAE: Yup! And since then, we’ve grown by about ten-million, so we’re… squarely at a hundred-million right now!

HARUKO: [sighs], When you think about all that, I guess it makes sense that they brought Hope’s Peak back. The world really does need a lot of hope right now.

TAE: I mean, from their perspective it’s probably the obvious choice. Their perspective is bad though.

HARUKO: What does that mean--

**The door to the dining area opens before Haruko can ask anything, and in walks a tall, willowy shape that still manages to be generally broad.**

TAE: Ogasawara-chan! What’re you doing here?

YUMI: [smiles] It’s almost seven, isn’t it? I like getting here early, just in case someone needs help cooking.

YUMI: [hands on hips] The more important question is what you were doing here! You look like you’ve been here for a while.

TAE: If I don’t wake up at 6:30 on the dot I’ll turn to ash.

YUMI: Surely that’s an exaggeration--

YUMI: [gasp! expression] Haruko-sama! You’re okay! How long have you been here?!

HARUKO: [resignation] Th-the whole time… 

YUMI: Oh dear… I didn’t notice you at all, sorry!

YUMI: It’s just that, well, you sort of have a tendency to pass out for several hours, so it’s hard to notice when you actually _are_ there!

HARUKO: (God, I really have done that twice, haven’t I?)

HARUKO: … Sorry?

YUMI: Why are you apologizing? More than anything, I feel bad for you… If I passed out that much, I wouldn’t have any time to myself… 

HARUKO: Uh… I mean, I haven’t died yet, somehow, so that’s a plus.

TAE: It takes a lot more than that to kill someone, Kamiki-chan.

YUMI: Oh, are you drinking coffee? Would you like me to make some more?

TAE: Uh, yeah, don’t. I have a coffee machine in my room! It’s a K-cup, so it’s got a _lot_ of storage~! I can have some whenever I want!

**Haruko is about to ask a question when the intercom chimes. It’s a low, melodic, but** **_loud_ ** **sound that rings through the entire island.**

MONOKUMA (intercom): Good morning, Students!

MONOKUMA (intercom): It’s officially 7 AM, which means Night Time is over! Please, seize the day while you still can, because you might not have another.

MONOKUMA (intercom): Laters!

HARUKO: …

HARUKO: What in the hell was that?

YUMI: Oh, I guess you haven’t heard it yet-- that was the morning announcement. Monokuma plays it so that everyone wakes up early, but as far as he’s mentioned, there’s no punishment for sleeping in…

HARUKO: Oh. I guess I didn’t die, then?

YUMI: [laughs awkwardly]

TAE: HAHAHAHA!! [takes a breath] _AHA_ HAHAHA--!! [she’s almost toppled over at this point, it’d be adorable if it wasn’t a little unsettling]

HARUKO: I-I didn’t think it was that funny?

TAE: HAHA-- HA, YEAH, BUT IT _WAS!!_ HAHAHA!!

HARUKO: (I don’t know which of us is the weird one in this situation…)

**After that, people start funnelling into the cafeteria from the door, obviously, at different times. They make smalltalk amongst each other, and Haruko** **_tries_ ** **to engage in some conversation. Admittedly, her definition of “engage in conversation” is a little warped, so she ends up half-heartedly laughing at some jokes the people at her table are telling. Those people, predictably, are Yumi, Tae, and Noelle, all of whom Haruko has been getting to know pretty well. Noelle, however, is the one she’s talked the least with one-on-one. There was the time when Noelle had just woken up, but she definitely wasn’t her normal self back then.**

**As everyone leaves the dining hall around 8 AM, Haruko decides that she’s going to talk to her.**

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: Iwanami-san?

NOELLE: Eh?

**It’s an hour or two later, Haruko finds Noelle by herself near the beach, and calls to her.**

HARUKO: I was wondering if you wanted to talk one-on-one for a little while.

NOELLE: [scratches back of head] Uh, sure. Why?

HARUKO: M-mostly I’m just curious, to be honest. The thing is that, even though I’ve talked to you a lot over the past few days, I feel like I don’t know much about you.

NOELLE: Hah! I could say the same for you, Kamiki-chan! You’ve been out cold half the time anyways!

HARUKO: [clasps hands] So we can take turns!

NOELLE: [without missing a beat] You first.

HARUKO: [recoils a little] O-okay?

HARUKO: (I guess she doesn’t like talking about herself…) Uh, I can’t answer a question you haven’t asked yet, Iwanami-san. I'm not _that_ good.

NOELLE: [walking up to HARUKO] Well what do you want me to ask?

HARUKO: … _Anything?_ I don’t know, what do you wanna know about me?

NOELLE: What do you keep under that hat?

HARUKO: My-- my hair?

NOELLE: Cool. Why’s your face so shady?

HARUKO: Because of the hat--

NOELLE: Cool, is “Kamiki” like “God Tree” or “Paper Tree?”

HARUKO: It’s, uh, “God Tree--”

NOELLE: Cool, how tall are you?

HARUKO: [running out of breath] Um, five-four, I’m pretty average--

NOELLE: Cool. What’s with the sailor uniform?

HARUKO: [clearly overwhelmed] Uh. It was my Dad’s, I just took it to seem more professional as a journalist, and since he doesn’t work at the same place anymore, he just kinda… lets me wear it every day now.

NOELLE: Cool. How’d you get to be the _Ultimate_ Journalist?

HARUKO: C-can I _breathe_ for a second? Please?

NOELLE: [bashful] Hehe, sorry, sorry! You tell me to ask questions, I ask ‘em. You’re takin’ this better’n I expected, to be honest!

HARUKO: [out of breath] A-are you hazing me? Am I being hazed?

NOELLE: HAH! Naw, I’m just givin’ you a little bit of a tough time, Kamiki-chan!

HARUKO: (That sounds like hazing to me…)

HARUKO: [sighs], I’m assuming you still wanna know how Hope’s Peak noticed me?

NOELLE: Obviously! Every Ultimate’s pretty unique with that stuff, and it’s _great_ to hear about it. I bet you did somethin’ pretty cool to get a cool noir-type talent like that.

HARUKO: Uh. I guess…? Not really, I just sorta… reported on a murder.

NOELLE: [visibly shocked] A murder.

HARUKO: Yeah, it was around two years ago when it happened-- I noticed people were covering stuff up about it, so I decided to investigate. That’s probably what got HPA’s attention.

NOELLE: [suddenly serious] What was the date?

HARUKO: Ah… huh?

NOELLE: The date. What was it?

HARUKO: [thinks for a second] Aaahh… hmm… I think it was around May eleventh, twenty-forty-eight.

NOELLE: … !!

NOELLE: … [shifts around a little] Okay. Your turn, Kamiki-chan.

HARUKO: Just like that?

NOELLE: Just like that.

HARUKO: (Guess I can’t complain about that.) Well… I’m kinda curious what someone would do to become the Ultimate Protestor.

NOELLE: It’s nothin’ special, really-- I started around… well, two years ago!

HARUKO: Ah, is that why you reacted like that?

NOELLE: [smiles toothily] Ayup! I decided I’d yell at people I didn’t like around the same time you got noticed by Hope’s Peak! Funny how that turned out, ain’t it?

HARUKO: Really? Huh. Strange, I guess you’re sort of a late bloomer! [giggles]

NOELLE: [crosses arms, inquisitive look] Now whaddaya mean by that?

HARUKO: Well, uh, most of us Ultimates have been doing what we do for a really long time. I’ve been keeping my News blog up since I was fifteen. If you got noticed in two years, then that’s really impressive, Iwanami-san!

HARUKO: [smiles] You’re definitely a prodigy!

NOELLE: [clearly flattered] Naw, naw, it ain’t that big of a deal. Really, I just want everyone to know how I feel about all the injustice in the world… _especially_ those fuckers that’re responsible for it all. I’ll yell it in their faces and I’ll smile while I’m doin’ it!

NOELLE: That’s part’a the reason why I dye my hair-- I’m making a statement. When you’re telling them how much they suck, fittin’ into their ideals makes them take it _way_ harder.

NOELLE: [fistpump pose] I want the world to know who Noelle Iwanami is, and they’re gonna take her seriously whether they like it or not!

HARUKO: [curious] What about before then?

NOELLE: Huh?

HARUKO: I mean, before you decided to protest. All of this happening in two years is a really short time, especially if you’ve had that passion for a while. There had to be some kind of breaking point, y’know? Like, “I’m not going to stay silent anymore, not after that.”

NOELLE: [looks away, brooding expression] …

HARUKO: Uh, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, I was just more curious than anything.

NOELLE: [smiles inorganically] Y-yeah, you gotta be a little higher level to unlock my backstory, Kamiki-chan! Sorry ‘bout that!

HARUKO: [chuckles], I can understand that.

**Haruko and Noelle talk for a while longer about nothing in particular, and by the end, Haruko feels like she’s achieved a stronger bond with Noelle, even if she’s not quite a “high enough level” to get her tragic backstory.**

**… … … … … …**

[ 2. ] [ NOELLE IWANAMI / 岩波 ノエル]

| Height: 5’10” (178 cm) | Weight: 192 lbs. (87 kg.)

| Ethnicity: Japanese. | Place of Residence: New York, USA (former)

| D.O.B: July 1st, 2030. | Age: 19.

| Blood Type: O+

| Gender: F

| Likes: Revolution, shouting, peace and quiet.

| Dislikes: Smug people, sour food, cops.

| Special Notes: Ultimate Protestor.

_“Having moved from the states to attend Hope’s Peak, Noelle Iwanami’s voice has been heard all around the world at the front of several protests-- especially with the help of her signature megaphone. While specializing in LGBT movements and disability rights, Iwanami lends her voice to all sorts of different issues. Despite having a considerable (if conservative) fanbase, Iwanami dislikes the idea of being a figurehead, and would much rather help lead the causes she fights for with the help of others.”_

\--

Noelle seems to be the kind of person that constantly questions what’s around her. This includes people, when I told her to ask what she wanted to know, she immediately came up with _several_ questions. You can’t come up with that many on the spot, right? She had to have been curious before then. 

All of her activist work has been concentrated into the last two years, and she doesn’t want to talk about what happened to make her so passionate about her work. I hope she’ll tell me later, but I guess I can understand if she doesn’t want to.

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko finds herself in her room, lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. As she looks up she finds herself thinking.**

HARUKO: (... What Monokuma said yesterday… does it really matter?)

[FLASHBACK]

SOO-MIN: Why would we kill someone? That’s _really_ stupid, the easier option would just be to wait it out. You’re a pretty shitty game designer.

MONOKUMA: Wait, you seriously think this is all I got?

HARUKO: … W-what are you talking about?

MONOKUMA: A good host doesn’t save his best bits for the opening act! As long as you’re on an island, you’ll have motivation for murder!

MONOKUMA: And… starting tomorrow, you’ll have even more!

[END FLASHBACK]

HARUKO: (Motivation… isn’t being trapped on an island with no way to communicate with our loved ones motivation enough?)

HARUKO: (Sure, we still have our phones, and we can even keep up with pop culture a little, but… what could be more motivation than being who knows how far away from the people we care about?)

HARUKO: … (What does he have in store for us?)

HARUKO: **_(And more importantly, who’s gonna kill first?)_ **

HARUKO: [shoots up] !! (...) [sighs and slumps back on her bed.]

HARUKO: (It’s not a bad question, though. If you get close to the people who are likely to kill, then there’s a higher chance that you’ll live. You know that, right?)

HARUKO: Shut up, shut uuup… (Why are you talking to yourself? Aren’t you afraid of what people will think?)

HARUKO: (Once people figure out who you are-- no, _what_ you are, then they’ll kill you for sure. You’re gonna be the most expendable “person” here. The weakest link.)

HARUKO: Stop it… (Who talks to their own thoughts? God. You really are pathetic. A pathetic monster who doesn’t have the right to humanity.)

HARUKO: I-I’m not that bad. (How are you gonna prove that? _Not_ killing someone? Who knows, maybe this motive is gonna be it. The straw that breaks the camel’s back, if you will. That’d probably fit me, right?)

**Haruko pulls her hat tighter over her head and puts earbuds in her ears, playing some trashy JPop at a volume that makes it hard for her to think. She takes a deep, flowing breath in and then back out again, letting the anxiety be purified through her lungs like they’re her liver.**

  
HARUKO: (...)

**She can’t think very well through all the lovesick lyrics, but that’s the point, isn’t it? Her attention can’t be brought away from the music even if she wanted it to be. Haruko remains in this state for an amount of time that she doesn’t want to think about. Could be short, could be long. No matter how long it lasts, at the end of it she takes out her earbuds and looks around her room.**

HARUKO: [breathes a sigh of relief] Okay. Okay. (That could have been a lot worse. At least it ended quickly… I think.)

**Haruko checks the time-- 11:45 AM. She lets out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding.**

HARUKO: (Good. That wasn’t too long. Can’t be having too many of those now-- that’ll just put a target on your back. Let everyone know something’s up.)

**Her celebration doesn’t last too long. A noise from the intercom turns her anxiety from herself to her surroundings.**

[ding dong bing bong]

[bing bong ding dong]

MONOKUMA (intercom): Hellooo my lovely, wonderful students! Now that all of you are up and fine, I figured that I can finally reveal my super special ultra-cool event!

MONOKUMA (intercom): Students one through sixteen, please shimmy on over to the stage at once, and none of you will die within the next hour!

MONOKUMA (intercom): … If you do it right.

[click]

**Haruko feels a void in her chest filled with specks of anxiety like stardust. This is what she’s been waiting for. Answers.**

**Now she just has to get them.**

**… … … … … …**

ISAMU: Time to spill that shit, Monokuma. _What_ are we here for?

MONOKUMA: Here? Well, obviously, you’re here to look at your magnificent ruler in all his bearish glory!

NAOKI: [annoyed] We’re here so we don’t _die._

MONOKUMA: Mmm, that too I guess. Who cares! Why you’re here doesn’t change that you are! That’s what you guys don’t understand-- even if you figure out exactly why you were all brought here, that doesn’t change the fact that you have to play this game!

HARUKO: (He isn’t wrong…) Can you at least tell us why you’ve brought us all here? That doesn’t seem too unreasonable, right?

MONOKUMA: Of course it isn’t! I was gonna, but you all were asking me so many unrelated questions that I couldn’t get anywhere! Sad, sad, so sad… 

NOELLE: Then get on with it before I try’n clock you again.

MONOKUMA: Right away, Clausette!

MONOKUMA: [puts paws together] Now, there’s something I’ve noticed about you bunch… 

MONOKUMA: [harumph] No one’s killed anyone yet! We can’t have that! We need a plot, y’know! No one killing in a killing game is a _major_ thematic hole, y’know, why establish the killing game and have no one kill each other?

MONOKUMA: But then, inspiration struck me at just the right moment… all you guys needed was a quick little push! Simply put, a stronger motivation. You all could just stall until some coppers found this here island, and then you’d get to see your families again… I can’t have that. Literally! It’s a genuine impossibility, but you humans love stalling until the end of time for change!

MONOKUMA: What you can’t stall is a deadline.

MONOKUMA: I’ve compiled all your darkest, most embarrassing secrets and sent them to one of your fellow Students! Obviously, you’ll get to see yours too, but the catch is that one of your classmates will too!

HARUKO: … Huh?

YOSHIJIROU: Oh there’s _no_ way you actually did that. That’s like… not possible, right?

YOSHIJIROU: [crosses arms, incredulous] It’s like-- it’s totally not, right? No way. Nooo way.

MONOKUMA: Of course you’d say that, Lard-for-brains, denial is the first stage of grief!

YOSHIJIROU: [annoyed] Why are all the insults I get about bein’ fat! Who cares about that stuff anymore!

MONOKUMA: [exact same expression] … Would you like a new one?

YOSHIJIROU: Uhhh… [considers it for a second] … [shakes his head] Naw, it fits.

MONOKUMA: Well the secret you’re about to get’ll fit too! Because it’s _yours!_

MONOKUMA: If you don’t want those juicy secrets exposed to the general public of this island, then you got a deadline to meet. MURDER! If you don’t **go through the motions** in twenty-four hours, then all your secrets will be revealed!

**Haruko feels her smartphone rumble in the pocket of her jacket. The people around her reach into their pockets as well-- she assumes that they felt the same thing.**

NAOKI: [looks up from his smartphone] H-how did you…?

NOELLE: What the fuck!? S-seriously, what the fuck!?

ISAMU: [panicking] HEY!! T-THAT AIN’T RIGHT, MAN!! THAT SERIOUSLY AIN’T RIGHT!

XIAOLU: … Ah.

YUMI: … 

TAE: A… aaa… a… haha… a?

YOSHIJIROU: The fuck did they…?

MIZUKI: [about to bite her nails] Oh no… 

**With a shaky hand Haruko reaches into her pocket, taking out her smartphone. She sees a notification in one of the apps put on it-- MonoMessage. The reactions of the people around her reverberate in her head.**

**Tap.**

“Haruko feels practically no empathy for other people. This includes her nine-year-old brother.”

  
  


HARUKO: …………………………… 

HARUKO: (………………………………) 

HARUKO: ………………… (………………………)

HARUKO: **(… How?)**

HARUKO: **(How do they know this? How? How? How how how how who who?)**

HARUKO: **(Who knows? Who found out? Who found out I’m a bad person? They can’t know they shouldn’t be allowed. That’s not allowed no one else should know that I’m a monster that’s not supposed to happen but it did and now they’ll find out and they’ll tell everyone and it’s my fault in the first place for being like this because no one else is I’m the only one who’s like this so it must be my fault and now when someone kills me I’ll understand why and I won’t blame them but they shouldn’t have to because I need to figure out who knows so I can make them stop knowing and they** **_need_ ** **to stop knowing because they can’t know because they** **_shouldn’t_ ** **know because** **_no one_ ** **should know but they do because somehow Monokuma knows and now that someone knows it’ll spr̴̷̨ea͏͠d̴ ̢͟b̷̛e̵͜c͝a̷͟ųsę̴̧ ͜t̛͝ha̡͝t͡’s̸͟ ̴wh͢a̸t̢̢͘ t͢h͘͝͡e͜͟y d͟o ҉̧͢w̨̡͢i͘th̕ i҉̷n͢f̶̵͡o̧r͏m͢a̢͡t̢i͡͏o̢͢͡n̨ ͢t̢h̸a͠t’͏͘͞s̡͠ ͞j͝ųst҉͞ w͘͝͠ḩ͠ą͠͡t̴̵ ͟͜h҉̡̨ą̡̛pp̨͘ens҉͏.̡̕ ̛͟T̵̵͟h͏̢a̴͘ţ҉’͟s̴̕͢ ̵̢͞j̕u͜s̸̨ţ͝ ̧͠wh̴͜͞a͘͝t ̛hap̵͝p̡e̵̷͡n̛s̵.̸͠ ҉T͘h̴҉͞at’͢s̵͝ ̡͠j͢us͏̵t ̶w͠h͘͜͞a̡t’̸͜͢s̴̨͏ g͘o̕͠i̴n͜g͠ ͟t͘҉͢o͏ ̧͘͘ha̶p̴pen̢ ̨i̢͡f̵̡ ̴I̧̢͢ ̷͝do̵̧n’t ͞͏stop̵ ̛͞i͢t̵҉͞ ̛͘b͜u͢͟t҉ ͏h̡o͢͡w̴̶̧ ҉͞w̸̨oų̛͡l̨d͜҉ ͢I͠҉̸ ͜͡st̢͟op̷̨͡ i҉͠t͞ ͠͠b͘u̴͏t̵͏ ̸h̶ow͢ w̡̨o͡u̢͡l̶d̴ ̷͏I̵̷ h҉͡͠o̵͘͞w͜ ̧͝w̧oul̨͘d͝ ̸͜͠I͜ ͠d̶͝o͘͟ i̴̛t̴̡̛ ̡̛ho̕͘͢w͢͟ c͜͠an̶̵ ̨I̕ ̴s̨͟t̡͜o̷p̡͠ i̢͟t h̢͠o̧w̸͘ ͝c̨ą͢n ̸̶I̷҉ st̸̢o̴͘͟p i̕҉t͏ ̢̛͟h͢o̶͜w͜ ̷̕c̵̴̨a̴̴͟n̢ ͡I̛͜ ͝s̸͞ţ̷͠op ͘͝i͠t̕ o͏̨̕͠h͏͝ ̴̛҉̴g̶o̸҉̧͡d̛͡ ͝t̢҉h͞i͏s̸̨̡͡͝ ̢͜͝͡w̷͢͏̨a҉̶̧s͡ ̴̧͟͠͠w̷̸̶̷̡r̨̧̛į̸̛͞t̵͢͠͞t̢̢͘̕͘e̡̛͡͝n̴͞͝҉ ̶̕͞f̴o̷͞r͟͜ ̷͝҉s͘̕o̷̴m̴̷e͏̴o̢̡҉n̷̨̛e͝҉̶̡͘ ̢͠e̷̕͏l̢͜͞s͞e҉͏̨̛ ̴̧͜w̢̛̕͟a̵̵̵͠s̴̢n̨͜͝͞’̡̨̢͜͢t̷̢ ̶͘͜͝i͏҉ţ̵̨͢͝ ͏̵̧͢t͏h̢͝͠a̶̛t̷͟’̧̢͢͢ş͡ ̨͜͏w̴̡͘͟͏h͘y̵ ̧̢҉̧i͘҉͝͡͠t̷̢͜ ̸̸̢͜s̴̸͟a̸̛y҉͜s͏̕͜͝ ̶̷͠͠͡“y̶͝ơ͟u̧̨̢ ̵̨̡̨͜ģ͘͏u̷͟y̕͞s̸̛”͡҉̵ ̨̛͘͞ş̢͏͟o̸͠ ͠t͏̨҉̵̨h̵̡̨͜ę̷̴͜y͞ ̵͜k̷̢͡n̢͜͟o̧͟w̶̶̢͠ ̴̧͢t̶̡̡͜h̨̛͞͠e̕̕͘͏y̸̶͟҉ ̷̡̨͞͝ķ̷n̸̛͜͢o͝͝w̸̸̧̛͡ ̧͡t̸͏̕h̸͞͏͝e̷͝y̕͞ ̵͢͟d͏͢e̛͢͝f̶͟i̶̧̡̕͘n̕҉i̵̢̡̡͜ţ̷͠͠e͝l̸y̴͏ ̸̶̧k̵̨̕n̶̛͘͢o̷̧͝͝w͘͡͠ ̴̕s̶͝o̢͟m̡͠e҉̷͞o̧͢n̷͞e̸̛̛ ͘͞k̴̡̛͟ņ̵̸̢ǫ̵̛͘͡w̶̴̶̕s̵͢͏ ͞͞s̨͟͜o̷͠҉̕m̴̸̧͠e̡̢͠o̷̡̨n̶͝e̴̕͠͝ ҉̸̡͝k̕҉̵̢n̸̨͘͜o̸w͢͏s̷̨̢͟**

**Haruko feels a touch on her shoulder.**

TAE: [distressed] [waves her phone in HARUKO’s face] Hi! We need to go to your room, like, _now._ Kay?

**… … … … … …**

**The vague blur that follows is, Haruko assumes, probably the walk back to her cabin. Haruko also assumes that the vague pressure on her elbow is Tae leading her.**

[snap snap]

HARUKO: A-- wha?

TAE: [just finished snapping her fingers in HARUKO’s face] Earth to Kamiki, hellooooo? You in there? Is this cuz of your secret? Jeez, it’s not even that bad, Kamiki-chan. I bet there’s people here with _plenty_ worse.

HARUKO: Y-you… you know?

TAE: Uh, yeah, duh. Your secret was the one I got. Who’d you get?

HARUKO: I… I dunno… 

TAE: Did you not check? Mm, yeah, I guess that makes sense. Your secret came before whoever you got, right?

HARUKO: [nods vaguely]

TAE: Now’d probably be a good time to check.

HARUKO: Y-yeah. Yeah.

**Haruko pulls out her phone again and checks the MonoMessage app one more time.**

“When Naoki dies, he wants to be a brutally murdered cold case.”

HARUKO: [blinks] K-Kurosawa… 

TAE: Kurosawa-kun, eh? What’s his like, is it bad?

HARUKO: I-I dunno, it just… it’s kinda sad… I don’t know if I should share it.

TAE: We should all probably share them anyways.

HARUKO: … Huh?

TAE: Just saying, if we know them in advance then it removes the incentive of the deadline. I dunno how much good that’d do anyway.

HARUKO: T-the deadline… 

TAE: [hands on hips] Y’know, the _deadline?_ The one that that bear installed?

TAE: If we don’t kill someone in twenty-four hours, all our secrets will be revealed. So if you’re thinking about murder, you’ve got until 12 PM tomorrow.

HARUKO: I-I’m not--!!

TAE: I’m kidding.

TAE: Well, sharing them would be nice, but we can’t exactly, uh, _do_ that. If we have a meeting where we all share them, then that’d just be the same as installing a _second_ deadline, and someone would kill before we gathered them all around. That’d suck.

HARUKO: [head is finally clearing] So you’re saying that we just have to wait and hope for the best?

TAE: Exactly! Good on you, Kamiki-chan! Gold star for ya!

HARUKO: W-we can’t just let someone _die,_ Ou-san!

TAE: Meh. Whatever. My intuition is telling me that everything’s gonna be totally fine! Even if someone dies!

HARUKO: Death is bad, Ou-san.

TAE: Oh please! _You’re_ supposed to be the unempathetic one here!

HARUKO: I-I still think people dying is bad! I don’t think that’s a very controversial opinion!

TAE: [casually serious, hands behind back] You’re right, but… just trust me on this, okay? Explaining things is hard, I just know it’s gonna be alright in the end.

TAE: … Do you remember that dorm party we met at?

HARUKO: What? Uh, obviously, it was only a month or two ago… I was petting a cat in the corner and you wanted to know if you could pet it too.

TAE: And after about five seconds of sputtering you said ‘yes,’ and the rest was history.

HARUKO: [awkward] I-it was two months ago… 

TAE: Yeah, but it was still history. History is just what people want it to be, Kamiki-chan. If there’s anything you ever learn from me, let it be that.

HARUKO: [clearly sort of cheered up] Why are you reminding me of this? We’ve got more important stuff to be focusing on, like, I dunno, _anything else_ that isn’t… this.

TAE: You _clearly_ need some cheering up. Like, really, you were kinda freaking out over there, even if you weren’t making any noise. Your eyes were doing that thing where they move around really fast like you’re trying to check out every possible angle at once. Like a chameleon!

HARUKO: [nodding] Like a chameleon… 

TAE: … 

HARUKO: …

TAE: [sighs]. You aren’t a bad person, Haruko-san. 

TAE: You have… _no_ idea how much good your talent has done-- and _will do,_ for other people. You know that, right?

HARUKO: …

TAE: If you hadn’t intervened two years ago, I’m pretty sure _no one_ would know who killed Natsuki Kazekura. Her family would just have to go around with no answers and one less member. At least you gave them one of those, y’know?

TAE: I know this is gonna be in one ear and out the other for you but it’s _genuine._ There’s no way someone who’s brought as much good into the world as you could be a bad person, even if you have some weird… empathy block.

HARUKO: It feels like I’m not doing good for the right reasons. It’s all… selfish, to me.

TAE: Generous people are the most selfish among us. I don’t understand why so many people think that providing for yourself is some kind of… unforgivable sin. Being self-centered isn’t a problem. You could honestly use a little more self-love, Haruko-san. Convincing yourself that everything is your fault is the worst kind of selfishness, because it’s not good for _anyone_ involved if you don’t do something about it.

TAE: Just… keep it up, okay? Not everything is your fault. If you giving clarity to grieving families and keeping up an unpaid news blog for free is you being a bad person, then you’re probably some kinda saint.

HARUKO: … [smiles] Heheh… heh… 

HARUKO: T-thank you, Ou-san.

TAE: No problem. Hey, remember that time when--

**Haruko and Tae talk for who knows how long. Haruko doesn’t keep track, but it feels like a while. It probably is. There’s no real aim or goal, just fond reminiscing about everything. It doesn’t really matter, and for some twisted reason, that’s a comfort to Haruko.**

**Eventually, though, Tae says something else.**

TAE: Aw jeez, I gotta go, I should be doing something right now.

HARUKO: That’s okay. This was nice while it lasted.

TAE: Don’t say it so _depressingly,_ it’s not a big deal!

HARUKO: I _know,_ Ou-san, it’s not a big deal, I’m aware. That’s why I’m not making a big deal out of it.

TAE: [pouts] Sure you aren’t.

**Haruko giggles a little.**

TAE: … Later, Haruko-san

HARUKO: Later.

**Tae closes the door and walks down the steps of Haruko’s cabin.**

**It doesn’t take long before Haruko falls into a peaceful, warm sleep, not paying attention to the time.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope you enjoyed. I'll be posting some updated polls with this new information.
> 
> > 1st Victim [ https://www.strawpoll.me/19775703 ]  
> > 1st Killer [ https://www.strawpoll.me/19775713 ]
> 
> Sorry this update was shorter than the others. The next few updates will be... Not So Short. For better or for worse.


	6. [1-3] [Daily] What Remains to be Seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The motive confuses the cast as they discuss how to deal with the threat of death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warnings:  
> A drawn corpse. (At the end.) Just turn off Creator's Style if you don't want to see it.  
> Mild emotional manipulation. Starts just after Haruko writes something and ends when a student's report card pops up.

[ding dong bing bong]

MONOKUMA (intercom): Hello Students! It is now 7 AM! Night time is over and all facilities are now free to use! Keep your head up, and this day will be _lovely_ just like the rest!

MONOKUMA (intercom): … If you do it right.

[click]

**Haruko groans as she wakes up to Monokuma’s strangely threatening alarm clock. Rubbing her eyes, she glances around her cabin to see that, thankfully, nothing has changed.**

HARUKO: (I don’t think I’ve been murdered yet… which is nice.)

**She gets up, puts on her normal outfit, and walks out the door.**

**… … … … … …**

SOO-MIN: Laaaater, y’allz, ya mans has places to be, and they aren’t breakfast-- taking over the world starts at lunch, y’know?

**Soo-min leaves the cafeteria early, leaving it even more empty than it already is.**

NOELLE: Christ… now that he’s gone, this place is like a friggin’ ghost town, where is everyone?

**The dining room, while usually filled to them brim, is surprisingly empty. There aren’t many other people there. Even the ones that usually get here early are strangely absent-- Haruko’s regular table of Tae, Yumi and Noelle has been slimmed down to half of its usual mass.**

HARUKO: Well, Cho-san just left, Ou-san always disappears randomly, she says that’s part of her charm, but Yumi-san… I dunno… She likes getting here early too… Do you think they’re worried about their secrets?

NOELLE: [eyes widen] Shit! I totally forgot about those!

HARUKO: [awkward smile] So yours must not be that big… 

NOELLE: [scratches back of head] Well… I wouldn’t say _that…_ It’s just that I’m not really ashamed of it or nothin’... Those two seem like the type to be hidin’ somethin’ big, though.

HARUKO: Hey, don’t just say stuff like that. They’re probably just worried like everyone else.

NOELLE: [looks to the side] That wasn’t an insult.

NOELLE: Everyone’s got secrets, Kamiki-chan. Some of ‘em are bigger’n others, but everyone’s got em. If anything, I’m glad they’re bigger, cuz that means they won’t take to the other big ones that badly.

NOELLE: … Plus, the little things’re usually more whack to hear about.

HARUKO: How so?

NOELLE: I ain’t gonna spell it out letter-for-letter, but I’d rather hear someone’s a murderer than learn about their bedroom habits.

HARUKO: (Yeah, I-I’m not gonna dig any deeper on that one…)

HARUKO: … Whose did you get?

NOELLE: HAH! Sorry, _Miss Information,_ but you’re not gettin’ one word outta me.

NOELLE: [adjusts hat, straightens posture] Till Monokuma spills that shit to everyone, I’m not sharin’, that’s final.

HARUKO: I-I guess that’s understandable… 

YOSHIJIROU: Hey, what’re y’all two talkin’ about??

**Haruko jumps with a start and turns to Yoshijirou, who she had somehow failed to notice before he’d arrived at her and Noelle’s table.**

NAOKI: Tachibana-san! Jesus Christ, you don’t just do that!

YOSHIJIROU: Why not? They were talkin’ about stuff, n’ it seemed cool.

NAOKI: It’s _rude._ You know how to spell that, right? I’ll give you a hint: _“No ‘O’s.”_

NAOKI: [turns to HARUKO + NOELLE, adjusts glasses] So sorry, Misses. I wasn’t babysitting him for a few seconds, so he just decided to do his own thing.

HARUKO: [awkward smile] He’s fine, really--

YOSHIJIROU: [genuinely angry] I’m _not_ a _baby._

NAOKI: … [confused] Huh?

YOSHIJIROU: I… I can… [huffs].

**Yoshijirou turns and storms away at a steady, fast pace.**

NAOKI: … [sighs]. I should go get him, shouldn’t I?

NOELLE: [pushes herself out of her chair] If you ain’t, then I’m gonna.

**Noelle, clearly used to running, speeds to the door and leaves Haruko’s line of sight almost immediately.**

NAOKI: _Dammit._ Why does he do this? I don’t _get it._ I’m just trying to help him! I’m not even following him around, I’m just stopping him when he does something stupid!

HARUKO: Kurosawa-san… 

HARUKO: (Kurosawa-san and Tachibana-san… they’re usually seen with each other. I’d never really guessed that they had these kinds of issues in their friendship. Maybe tensions are just running high, because of…)

[FLASHBACK]

**Haruko pulls out her phone again and checks the MonoMessage app one more time.**

“When Naoki dies, he wants to be a brutally murdered cold case.”

[END FLASHBACK]

HARUKO: (I don’t know… if someone like Kurosawa-san… could wish for a brutal, painful murder. I always thought everyone wanted to go out peacefully with their family by their side… Ultimates aren’t like everyone else, are they?)

HARUKO: (Why would he want something like that?)

**Not knowing how to respond, Haruko shrugs her shoulders and makes a face at Naoki. He seems to understand this well enough.**

NAOKI: [sighs]. Sorry for the trouble, Kamiki-san. I just… don’t know what to do with him.

ZENKO: God, you really are an idiot, aren’t you?

**Zenko suddenly speaks up, breaking the silence of the almost-entirely empty room, now that Noelle and Yoshijirou have left.**

NAOKI: [incredulous] Excuse me?

ZENKO: I’m calling you an idiot, poindexter. Aren’t you intellectual types supposed to pick up on this?

ZENKO: Your definition of “helping” just makes him think he’s doing shit wrong, and you _men_ hate it when someone points that out… 

ZENKO: [looks to the side glamorously] Of course, Tachibana seems like one of the better ones, so I could have worded that better… 

ZENKO: But whatever the case is, _you’re making everything worse._ Just accept that your presence is actively harmful and move on with your life before he clocks you to high heaven!

NAOKI: I-I’m not-- I-- _what?_

HARUKO: Higuchi-san, I-I don’t think this is that simple… 

ZENKO: Well, _obviously._

ZENKO: [beams artificially] My point is that whatever Kurosawa’s doing, it’s _wrong,_ and he should feel bad about it, kay?

ZENKO: [looks at hand] So like, whatever, you don’t have to listen to a trashy skank like me or whatever you’re gonna say, so just like, ignore me and move on with your day, and keep doing everything wrong, alright? That’s all you gotta do.

**Zenko almost skips along the wooden floor of the dining hall, her sneakers thumping lightly against the floorboards.**

ZENKO: [waves] Ciao, you two~!

**And as fast as she appeared, she leaves.**

NAOKI: …

HARUKO: D-don’t listen to her, Kurosawa-san, she’s just one of those, uh, dramatic types, her words don’t have much value.

NAOKI: Ugh, don’t say that. As much as I hate to admit it, she has a point. Tachibana-kun is… I guess I can call him my friend at this point. He’s a very earnest person with a kind heart and a… lets just say an _infectious_ worldview.

NAOKI: He’s usually a very reasonable person, from what I’ve seen, so… I just don’t know.

HARUKO: … [rubs back of neck] Maybe he just doesn’t like being bossed around?

NAOKI: I don’t know if I’d say that, but… it’s the best answer I have right now.

NAOKI: [thoughtful pose] Maybe this has something to do with… that motive… 

HARUKO: Maybe… 

HARUKO: (I wonder, Kurosawa-san… whose secret did you get? Clearly, it wasn’t Tachibana’s, so who could his even be? Given his general temperament… yeah, I have no idea.)

NAOKI: I’m gonna go after him. You can… do whatever, Kamiki-san, I don’t really care that much, if I’m being honest? So, uh, later, I guess.

**And soon enough, Haruko is alone.**

**… … … … … …**

**8:00 AM. Haruko sits still alone in the dining hall, writing notes to herself.**

_“Kurosawa-san’s secret is that he wants to be brutally murdered. Mine is my lack of empathy. These are both things that, while easily committed to pen, aren’t things we’d readily tell other people, so how did Monokuma know them? I doubt that he can just peer into our heads and take out whatever he likes, but… the only other people who know about that are my family. I don’t know what would be scarier: a villain who can read minds, or a villain who’s collaborating with my own Mother and Father._

_Kurosawa-san doesn’t seem like the type to tell other people his secrets either. And yet, Monokuma knows them. There’s always a chance that the secret that isn’t mine could be fabricated, but that honestly seems unlikely. For some reason, it’s more unbelievable that Monokuma only made my secret truly_ my _secret._

_Whatever the case, it looks like this isn’t just some joke. I don’t know who to s_

KAORU: Haruko-san!!

HARUKO: [shocked] AAHH!?

KAORU: [shrinks] Uh, s-sorry… I-I didn’t mean to s-s-startle you… 

HARUKO: It’s-- it’s fine. What’s going on?

KAORU: [hugging stuffed animal] N-n-nothing, really… I-I just wanted to t-talk to you… 

HARUKO: (I guess that makes sense… We haven't had a real conversation since the day we arrived here. What a terrible thing for me to do, leaving him all alone…)

HARUKO: Well… what would you like to talk about?

KAORU: U-uh, um, well, uh, there’s uh… something... nevermind-- how about _anything!_

HARUKO: (So excited…) Do you have any ideas or do you just want to talk?

KAORU: [peps up] W-well… I dunno… Maybe we could do something together?

HARUKO: [doesn’t know how to respond] That sounds. Nice.

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko ends up washing dishes with Kaoru, a task that no one had picked up since Yumi was absent from the morning gathering.**

HARUKO: Jeez, Teruya-san, you’re pretty good at this…

KAORU: [idly washing a glass] I’m practiced. I-it’s hard to get plushies without money, and it’s hard to get money without working, s-so I’ve taken a lot of part-time jobs.

HARUKO: [incredulous] _Just for plushies??_

HARUKO: [eye twitches a little] Isn’t your family rich? Can’t you just ask them?

KAORU: O-oh gosh no! Th-they can’t use their money for someone like me… I just want it for myself. Their money shouldn’t be going to a pathetic cause like that…

HARUKO: … Ah.

KAORU: [expectant] …?

HARUKO: Uh. Sorry?

KAORU: [resigned] B-but, uh, yeah… I work a lot so that I can afford as many plushies as I can… even though my family’s wealthy, i-it’d be annoying to bother them. Plus, the more they spend on me, the less it goes to other people.

HARUKO: So they’re, uh, philanthropists? Is that the word?

KAORU: I guess… They--they spend most of their money on charity and stuff like that, and they’re always at some charity banquet, so they don’t really have much time for me.

HARUKO: … [blinks, looks around] Uh. That sucks. I think.

KAORU: Y-yeah, it really does, sometimes I feel like they forget I even exist…

HARUKO: … 

KAORU: [stares at HARUKO] …

HARUKO: [points to a stain on a plate] You missed a spot.

KAORU: Oh! Thank-- _Thank you,_ Haruko-san.

HARUKO: Don’t mention it--

KAORU: [interrupts her] What’s going on with Iwanami-san and Kurosawa-san? T-they were running around the island a little while ago. I-I’m pretty sure they came from here, and, uh, you’re here, so, I-I was wondering if you knew what was going on.

HARUKO: Oh. That. [stops scrubbing for a second] Kurosawa-san said something that made Tachibana-san storm off for some reason, and then Iwanami-san and Kurosawa-san went after him.

HARUKO: I… Really don’t know anymore about it. Sorry, Teruya-san.

KAORU: That’s all I needed to know… t-typical. P-people like Tachibana always make things worse for the rest of us.

HARUKO: _WOAH. WHAT._

KAORU: [pulls scarf over face] I-it’s just… you know what I’m talking about, right?

HARUKO: _Of course not?_ Tachibana-san has been nothing but nice to me. Is he rude to you?

KAORU: N-no, but… it’s simple, really. Stupid brawny jocks who go around f-flaunting the empty space in their head are always the type who get r-red in the face over the simplest insults!

KAORU: C-calling him an _athlete_ is probably an exaggeration, unless he’s a _rikishi._ F-f-fricking whale.

HARUKO: Okay, we’ll get back to that, uh, hi, _what?_ I-I… that seems a little unfair, Teruya-san.

KAORU: Eeep! I-I’m sorry, Haruko-san! I-I just don’t have many g-good experiences with people like him-- the athletes back in my middle school u-used to laugh at me and call me names! I-I’m sorry, I’m pathetic, I-I should crawl into a hole or something… 

HARUKO: … Uh, don’t. Do that? I guess?

HARUKO: (Haruko Kamiki, empathic genius.)

HARUKO: … You probably shouldn’t judge him for what you think he is, I think. You should judge him for what you _know_ he is. And I don’t really think you know much of that.

KAORU: [mumbles completely indecipherably]

HARUKO: [slightly annoyed] If that was another insult I’m going to be _immensely_ disappointed.

KAORU: Aah!! I-I’m sorry, Haruko-san, y-you’re right, I’m s-such a prejudiced jerk-- I-I should go die or something…

HARUKO: W-when did I say _any_ of that?! Stop misinterpreting me, Teruya-san!

KAORU: [confused, anxious expression] Uh…? 

HARUKO: The dishes are pretty much done though. Uh, what do you say we make some toast or something?

KAORU: [?????] … O-okay?

**… … … … … …**

[ 9. ] [ KAORU TERUYA / 照屋 薫 ]

| Height: 4’10” (147 cm.) | Weight: 92 lbs. (42 kg.)

| Ethnicity: Japanese and White (Russian). | Place of Residence: Tokyo, Japan.

| D.O.B: November 25th, 2031. | Age: 18.

| Blood Type: AB-

| Gender: M.

| Likes: Freshly-dried clothes, needles.

| Dislikes: Mold, people who smell bad.

| Special Notes: Ultimate Stuffed Animal Collector.

_“Coming from a wealthy family, Kaoru Teruya has been collecting stuffed animals ever since he was nine years old, and rarely takes any breaks from his craft. Teruya’s obsession with stuffed animals has been a driving motivator for almost his entire life, taking part-time jobs and doing volunteer work to get more plushie money. There’s an entire room in the Teruya household almost filled to the brim with the fruits of his labor; reportedly, his family doesn’t mind as long as he keeps it there.”_

\--

Teruya-san’s parents are philanthropists, so he takes several part-time jobs in order to avoid spending their money. He also mentioned that they’re usually out somewhere, and that he sometimes thinks they forget about him. However, as much as it hurts to say, his testimony might not be totally accurate. I don’t know what’s up with him, but he seems to be… _excessively_ self-deprecating in a worrying way. There’s something about Teruya-san that just seems to be a little venomous, especially to people like Tachibana-san.

**… … … … …**

**After that, Haruko has an uneventful conversation over toast with Kaoru. It has a lot less conflict than the previous one. Despite the fact that it was a bumpy road, Haruko thinks that she’s genuinely bonded with Kaoru a fair amount.**

**She relaxes in her room for some time, tired from all the drama and interaction that’s been happening today. Before she even knows it, it’s almost noon, and she decides to head out again.**

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: (As tiring as it was, I still want to know what happened with Kurosawa and Tachibana…)

**Noelle stands vaguely around the cabins with a strange air about her.**

HARUKO: Ah, Iwanami-san!

NOELLE: [completely out of it] ………………………………… 

HARUKO: … Iwanami-san? Hello?

NOELLE: … [vaguely turns to HARUKO] Oh.

NOELLE: … Hhhhey.

HARUKO: Are you alright, Iwanami-san? You seem off.

NOELLE: [grits teeth] I’m-- I’m fine. Just kinda sleepy. Guess I should prolly get s’more shuteye. Haha.

HARUKO: (Something’s definitely up.) What happened with Tachibana-san? Did it really go that poorly?

NOELLE: Naw, we found him chillin’ near his cabin and I decided to let Kurosawa handle the rest. After that I… [smiles toothily] I haven’t been doin’ nothin’ since then! My day’s been real chill, Kamiki-chan!

HARUKO: … [sighs], Do you know where Kurosawa-san is? I’m sort of worried about him.

NOELLE: Dunno, I think he’s… I dunno, check the garden? Maybe the convenience store?

HARUKO: [nods] Got it.

**… … … … … …**

**Naoki is, in fact, walking out of the convenience store when Haruko finds him. He’s putting a bag of something in his satchel, walking in his usual mildly-hunched-over fashion. Haruko catches up to him by the garden.**

HARUKO: Kurosawa-san!

NAOKI: [turning to HARUKO] Oh. You again. What are you after? I’ve got, like, _two_ places to be right now.

HARUKO: Sorry, I just wanted to know how things went with Tachibana-san.

NAOKI: Heheh. [pushes up glasses] It turns out that Tachibana is ridiculously quick to forgive when you actually _want_ to apologize, believe it or not. You wanna know what his terms were?

HARUKO: [squints] Tachibana-san had terms?

NAOKI: If you could even call them that. 

NAOKI: He wanted me to get him two, one-dozen packs of donuts, and he said all would be forgiven.

HARUKO: … What? Why? Can’t he just get those himself?

NAOKI: That is… almost exactly what I said, down to the word. He says it’s [airquotes] “the principal of it” that matters, _whatever that means,_ but I’m just happy I didn’t make him too sad. Have you seen him sad, Kamiki-san? It could touch the heart of a war criminal responsible for one-hundred and two civilian deaths.

HARUKO: (Specific…) What was the problem, even? I-I really don’t know what he was so upset about… 

NAOKI: [sighs.] Apparently, Tachibana is somewhat hypersensitive to being, uh, “babied,” in his words. He says he’s his own person who can make his own decisions and doesn’t need to be, his words, “babysat.”

HARUKO: [tilts head] But those are your words?

NAOKI: What? When did I say that?

HARUKO: R-right before Tachibana-san stormed out, you said you were babysitting him.

NAOKI: … Ah.

NAOKI: That’s probably why he got so offended.

HARUKO: Kurosawa-san… 

NAOKI: … [sigh.] I’ll… apologize to him again. God, I’m gonna be _so_ late for that meeting… 

HARUKO: Meeting?

NAOKI: Kohana-san wants a few of us to meet up for some reason. Dunno why, but it’s at 12:00 and right now is around 12:05, so even if I turned up right now I’d be… yeah, let's say Fashionably Late.

HARUKO: It’s… 12:05? But that’s… [gasp!!] The deadline!

NAOKI: Crap, it is past the deadline. Huh. Guess that’s to be expected… 

HARUKO: How is that to be expected?! the deadline’s passed and Monokuma hasn’t exposed our secrets yet! D-does that mean he was lying?

NAOKI: No, not really. I honestly don’t think he’d lie about something like that, I mean, it’s in the rules, he _can’t._

NAOKI: [reading from phone] “Rule Number sixteen: Monokuma will not tell boldfaced lies to Students. Punishment is not considered, because he will not.”

NAOKI: The absolute certainty in that statement tells me that he _can’t_ lie to us. But, since it’s past the deadline, he should expose all of our secrets.

HARUKO: [fiddles with hat] S-so how are both of those true??

NAOKI: [casually glances away] Obviously, it’s a loophole.

NAOKI: [adjusts glasses, smirking] Y’see, Monokuma’s main goal is to get us to kill each other. If no one dies before the deadline, then of course he’s not gonna use it immediately, that wouldn’t be practical for him.

NAOKI: “Since you killed someone after the deadline, your secrets will still be revealed.” I’m betting it’ll be something like that. Authority figures like politicians and CEOs use clever wording, half-truths and holes in the law to get away with doing whatever they want. I don’t see a reason why Monokuma, who _wrote_ the rules, wouldn’t use those as well.

HARUKO: [hugging shoulders] So… whatever happens now, our secrets will be…?

NAOKI: I mean, probably. Who knows.

HARUKO: (That isn’t an answer!!)

NAOKI: Ugh, I have to get back to Tachibana with these… _calorie circles,_ you go to the beach-- Kohana-san’s meeting is happening right now, so you can act as my stand-in.

HARUKO: I-I can what?

NAOKI: Just attend the meeting and tell me what happens there, kay? 

NAOKI: [adjusts glasses, smirking] Now I _have_ to get going or else Tachibana’s gonna clock me with his gorilla hands. He told me I could say that, because, and I quote, ‘Gorillas are sick as shit and man-awesome and beefy.’

NAOKI: Sooo… see you later?

**Naoki walks off, leaving Haruko stranded near the garden, anxious and confused. She watches him, squinting as he walks hunched along the path.**

HARUKO: ( **…** I guess I should go to the meeting, then? I really don’t know… Kurosawa-san said it was at the beach, right? )

**… … … … … …**

**There’s a small gathering of people at the beach, with Shigeru standing in the middle of a semicircle of foldable chairs. Shigeru is leading the discussion, obviously, moving his hands while he talks, his usually sub-par posture incredibly straight in the moment. Haruko quietly walks to them**

SHIGERU: So that’s why-- oh! I didn’t see you there, sorry.

MIZUKI: Ah, Kamiki-san…! It’s great to see you.

HARUKO: I-it’s not Kurosawa, it’s just me. He can’t make it to your meeting, so he sent me instead.

**Haruko takes a quick look around at the others, there’s Shigeru in the middle, Xiaolu to her right, Mizuki to her left, and that’s it.**

SHIGERU: It’s uh… fine, Kamiki-san. I’m actually sort of glad you showed up.

HARUKO: Huh?

SHIGERU: [fiddles with hands] Well, you know the people here better than any of us. At least, that’s what I assume. Most of the people here are just… sticking to the people they know. That’s not _wrong,_ by any means, but Kamiki-san, you’ve been actively trying to learn about everyone, from what I’ve heard.

HARUKO: A-and that’d be useful for this meeting _how?_

SHIGERU: Ah! Excuse my rudeness, did Kurosawa-san not tell you what this meeting was for?

HARUKO: Not at all.

SHIGERU: [nods,] We’re planning a party. Y’know, so that we can bond before our secrets are revealed. I feel like that’s probably the best course of action. It looks like Monokuma’s going to wait a while before he reveals them, even though the deadline is passed, so we figured that a good time would be tomorrow. In the evening, you know?

MIZUKI: Mhm. Kohana-kun brought us along because he thought we’d be able to help prepare-- since I’ve been pushing that cart around ever since… the announcement.

SHIGERU: I-I invited Iwanami-san and Ogasawara-san too, but it looks like they didn’t show… 

HARUKO: [pondering] Iwanami-san seems pretty out of it, so that makes sense… I haven’t seen Ogasawara-san at all today either, so I’m assuming she’s… taking some alone time.

XIAOLU: [casually] She probably got beheaded.

HARUKO: W-why are you even _here?_

SHIGERU: Ah, apologies, I invited Xiaolu-kun because I know them. Y-y’know, from, uh, before we got here.

HARUKO: [blinks, does a bit of a double take] Really? I… didn’t think you two would get along.

XIAOLU: Reality is fake, Kamiki. Accept the unacceptable, break the glass.

HARUKO: [awkward, shut-eyed smile] I’m guessing that’s the _only_ reason you invited them.

MIZUKI: [gently clasps hands] Well, they also own several airhorns.

XIAOLU: [takes a sip of… apple juice] I modify them so they’re as loud as possible. I could probably wake everyone on the island up before Monokuma even gets a chance.

HARUKO: _Please don’t._

MIZUKI: [changing topic] Uh, Kohana-kun, do you know where we could have this party? I can’t really think of many places aside from the beach, and I don’t think a beach is a good place to have a party.

XIAOLU: The beach is like, one of the _quintessential party places,_ are you high?

MIZUKI: [shrinks a bit] … Sand makes me uncomfortable… and I think it’s sort of cool for a beach party.

HARUKO: (What are you talking about? It’s pretty warm here!)

SHIGERU: [points up, peppy] I did actually have an idea that wasn’t beachy, I think you’d _really_ enjoy it, Satou-san.

SHIGERU: Xiaolu-kun decided to go deep into the woods one day, and they found a cabin, almost completely empty, basically nothing in it aside from floorboards. I think it’s _perfect_ for a party. 

HARUKO: [nods] Y-yeah, that makes sense… like how so many places use school gymnasiums as venues, just because of how empty they are.

SHIGERU: Exactly! Wonderful, isn’t it?

SHIGERU: [politely clasps hands] There’s no such thing as an empty room, because emptiness is a vessel for hope.

XIAOLU: You want some wine with that cheese, Mr. Manson?

**Surprisingly to Haruko, Shigeru actually laughs at that. Not even the normal, awkward laugh Shigeru usually does, it’s definitely genuine. Even Haruko can see that.**

MIZUKI: Ah, I’m sorry, I don’t understand, could you explain?

SHIGERU: [nods,] That’s fine. Xiaolu was calling my little platitude “cheesy” by comparing it to cheese and wine-- and Mr. Manson is probably a reference to Marilyn Manson, who’s an old singer that-- I have to admit-- doesn’t exactly look… _unlike_ me.

MIZUKI: Oh. That’s funny.

XIAOLU: [rolls eyes] Not as funny as the first time.

HARUKO: ( **…** Quite a group we have here, isn’t it?)

**Haruko’s thoughts are interrupted by the sight of a familiar, distinctive silhouette walking towards her.**

HARUKO: Y-Yumi-san!

  
SHIGERU: Huh?

YUMI: [clearly tired] Hello, everyone. Sorry I couldn’t make it on time, I’m… disturbed, by the events that have happened recently.

XIAOLU: Lookitchu, not being beheaded. Great job on that one.

SHIGERU: I-it’s fine, Ogasawara-san, I’m honestly just glad you came. We’re planning a party, and that seems like the kind of thing you’d want to help with, am I right?

YUMI: [puts hands together] Absolutely, Kohana-sama! Now why didn’t you tell me that sooner? I would have come running like a gale force wind!

MIZUKI: I didn’t take you for the partying type, Ogasawara-san.

YUMI: [cheerful] I’m not! At all! 

YUMI: I like a small get-together, though, and planning them is absolutely the greatest part. I’ll help you with your preparations as soon as you say the word, everyone!

SHIGERU: I was thinking we could start setting everything up tomorrow, so Satou-san has some time to make her cakes and things as fresh as possible. Does that sound reasonable to everyone?

**There’s a murmur of general agreement that Haruko contributes to.**

SHIGERU: Great! Tomorrow is… also probably the best idea, since most everyone is very out of it today, you know? I don’t think I’ve even _seen_ some of us at all-- Connor-kun, Cho-san, Imada-san, Ou-san, Sully-san… 

MIZUKI: Oh, Sully-san is just over there, though. [points]

**Haruko turns to see Sully in the distance, still on the beach, staring pensively into the ocean waves.**

MIZUKI: Is she alright…?

YUMI: [thinking pose] I guess she’s just staring melodramatically-- we shouldn’t interrupt, you know, that would be rude. She’s probably having a whole monologue to herself about her secret! Making that a dialogue would throw her story out of whack!

XIAOLU: Yeah she’s having her whole melodramatic angst moment right now. Just let it happen.

**Haruko looks back to Sully in the distance. The wind is lightly tussling her hair and clothes as she continues to look at the sea. Haruko has no earthly idea how long she’s been there and to be frank she doesn’t think she wants to know.**

HARUKO: (I’m surrounded by crazy people.)

**Haruko and the others continue to talk about the plans for the party the next day, but they don’t tread much new ground in general. By the time they’re done, she knows that it’ll take place in a secluded cabin in the woods, that there will be long tables and food made by Mizuki, and that one of them will have to get a speaker from the supermarket in order to play some music.**

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: (Jeez… how long did that take?)

**Haruko checks her phone-- it’s around 1 PM, so her answer is “somewhere close to an hour.”**

HARUKO: (I mean, I don’t exactly have anything better to do, but I’d hoped there would be better time-killers than that…)

HARUKO: (Still, this party should do us a lot of good. This should keep us bonded for a long while! It shouldn’t be too hard to keep up with fifteen people and make sure they don’t all hate each other so much they’d murder them! I hope!)

HARUKO: ( **…** ) [sighs]

**Haruko’s mind flashes back to earlier in the day.**

[FLASHBACK]

ZENKO: … Whatever the case is, _you’re making everything worse._ Just accept that your presence is actively harmful and move on with your life before he clocks you to high heaven!

NAOKI: I-I’m not-- I-- _what?_

HARUKO: Higuchi-san, I-I don’t think this is that simple… 

ZENKO: Well, _obviously._

ZENKO: [beams artificially] My point is that whatever Kurosawa’s doing, it’s _wrong,_ and he should feel bad about it, kay?

ZENKO: [looks at hand] So like, whatever, you don’t have to listen to a trashy skank like me or whatever you’re gonna say, so just like, ignore me and move on with your day, and keep doing everything wrong, alright? That’s all you gotta do.

[END FLASHBACK]

**Exhaling and looking upwards, Haruko notices the target of her thoughts through the sliding door of the Pharmacy, pacing around and looking at the floor. Haruko squints at this.**

HARUKO: ( **…** Is she…?)

**Without a second thought, her legs carry her in Zenko’s direction.**

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: Higuchi-san?

**Hurried and quiet, Haruko walks into the pharmacy with a concerned look directed towards Zenko. Even considering her usual complexion, Zenko is looking sort of pallid, taking sharp and heavy breaths like greatswords into her lungs.**

HARUKO: H-Higuchi-san, are you alright?

ZENKO: [only just noticing HARUKO] … 

ZENKO: [plastic, catty smile] I’m _fine,_ Kamiki, don’t go butting into other people’s business. I know you’re a journalist, but _god._

HARUKO: Oh. Alright. [turns to walk away]

ZENKO: Hey, wait--!!

HARUKO: Hm? [looks back] I thought you said you were fine…?

ZENKO: I _am_ fine-- in every way, really, but, uh…

ZENKO: [crosses arms] This pharmacy is like, it’s _fine,_ right?

HARUKO: The… pharmacy.

ZENKO: _You heard me._ Is the pharmacy okay? Like, is it normal?

HARUKO: (Is… is this some kind of psychological trick that’s gonna make me question my perception of reality? I hate those…)

HARUKO: [squints] Y… yes. It’s fine. It looks exactly the same as it has for the past three days. Are you feeling alright, Higuchi-san?

ZENKO: [absentminded fiddling] I’m feeling _dandy,_ I just forgot a part of my morning ritual, and now it’s making me feel a little strange. You don’t have to worry about it. In fact, you _shouldn’t_ worry about it. Don’t. I can tell when people pretend to worry about me for _brownie points_ or whatever, it’s mega obvious.

ZENKO: Soooo like, fuck off or something? Kay? [sticks tongue out]

HARUKO: [groans,] Right away.

**As Haruko walks away for the final time, she can hear Zenko’s voice behind her. She takes a quick look, and nothing has changed.**

HARUKO: (Whatever.)

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko stays in her cabin for a few hours, quietly reading and documenting her thoughts to herself.**

_“The most important thing to me, still, is the secrets. Monokuma is so certain this motive will work, so one of us has to have something big. Ou-san and Yumi-san are both candidates for having a ‘big secret’, maybe Higuchi-san, even. The important thing, is that I don’t think any of the party organizers have anything too damning in their Monomessage app. That’s probably why they were able to start organizing just one day after the motive. It didn’t affect them as much as the others._

_That’s not to say that it’s out of the question for them to have a big secret, but I think it’s less likely. Someone could have a relatively tame secret and still be incredibly distressed by it because of their own personal biases. That’s what I think happened with most of us; our secrets, when viewed by others, aren’t that bad, but with our own eyes, they’re incredibly dangerous._

_Ou-san was right, we_ _should_ _tell them to each other, but if we set another time for a meeting then that’d just count as another deadline. I’m sure that no one’s secret is life-ruining, at least. I just don’t know what to do._

_Maybe, at the party, we could all reveal our secrets. That’s not such a bad idea, right?_

_There’s no way everyone would do that, but maybe if we got everyone to read the secret they were assigned…?_

_Ugh. This is hopeless.”_

**Haruko falls back on her bed and takes a breath, exhaling slowly.**

HARUKO: (... How do I keep everyone alive?)

HARUKO: Why did this have to happen to us?

HARUKO: (I don’t know what I did wrong. I don’t think I deserve this. I know I’m wrong about that, but please, just let me pretend I don’t know.)

HARUKO: (……………………………………… Maybe, if I…)

[knock knock knock]

**Haruko turns her attention to her door, which is making noise for some reason.**

??? (high and trembly): H-Haruko-san! Come out, please!! I-I need your help!!

HARUKO: (Is that… Teruya-san?) Coming!

**Behind the door is, in fact, Kaoru, looking slightly more anxious than normal.**

KAORU: Th-there you are! I’m-- I’m so glad y-you’re up… you hafta come to the beach with me, i-it’s bad!

HARUKO: Did someone die?!

KAORU: N-no-- just come on, please!

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: Oh my God.

KAORU: Y-you’ve gotta stop them before they hurt each other!!

**It’s a sight to behold, truly. Haruko shifts her brown shoes in the soft sand of the beach as she watches in some combination of horror and curiosity…**

**As Yoshijirou dramatically slams Isamu on the ground before pinning him.**

NAOKI: One! Two! Three! Whatever! That’s like, another win for Tachibana and _so_ many losses for Ryuuzaki-san.

YOSHIJIROU: [sweaty] You can’t do it, man! You just can’t!

ISAMU: [immediately getting back up] [out of breath] Be-best-- [cough] Best fifteen outta fourteen!

**Isamu has dropped the hoodie around his waist for a clunky approach, while Yoshijirou is wearing a form-fitting t-shirt with the same shorts that Haruko suspects is just the bottom half of a wrestling singlet. Naoki sits in a beach chair in the background, as fully dressed as ever, while a few spectators have gathered around them.**

NAOKI: Fourteen out of fifteen, Ryuuzaki.

ISAMU: Y-yeah, that one! That’s what we’re goin’ with!

SOO-MIN: [from the audience] I, for one, am all for it! Woot woot, more violence!

**Isamu uses his tank top to wipe some sweat from his forehead and then claps his hands, assuming a powerful stance.**

KAORU: Haruko-san, you gotta stop them!! B-before someone gets hurt!!

HARUKO: [chuckling] They’ll be _fine._ Tachibana-san is an _actual wrestler,_ I’m sure that he’ll be able to keep himself _and_ Ryuuzaki-san safe and sound.

KAORU: B-but--!! W-what if he can’t!

HARUKO: [shrugs] I dunno. I don’t think either of them are gonna _die_ because of this though. I’m more worried about them getting sandy than bloody, a-and I’m pretty sure there are showers here.

**Isamu charges at Yoshijirou, who catches him midair and tosses him to the ground with a twist of his waist.**

SOO-MIN: GOOO! UNYIELDING PIG! GLORY HOOOOG!!

HARUKO: [walking towards him] I-is that his stage name? Did he pick those out himself?

SOO-MIN: Dunno, but hey, it’s definitely fun to yell.

KAORU: [mutters something to himself]

SOO-MIN: Man, I’ve never been to a pro wrestling game before. I feel like this is about as close as I’m gonna get.

HARUKO: Tachibana-san isn’t even a pro wrestler, he’s an _actual_ wrestler.

SOO-MIN: Ain’t that better, though? Doesn’t matter if he’s a pro or not, he’s tossing Ryuuzaki-kun around like a friggin’ baton!

HARUKO: It’s always interesting… seeing how athletes are built, by themselves, for different tasks.

**As she says this, Yoshijirou throws Isamu on the floor and practically jumps on him in order to pin him to the fickle sand.**

SOO-MIN: _Ow._

HARUKO: Yeah. Ow. Ryuuzaki-san… probably isn’t built to take that kind of pressure.

SOO-MIN: So you think he’s more of an offensive muscleman?

HARUKO: Obviously, he’s trained himself to pick people up and break down doors, defensively he’s probably a little lacking.

KAORU: I-I dunno if he’s _built_ for anything that isn’t sh-showing off… 

HARUKO: [not even looking at him] Teruya-san.

KAORU: [shrinks] Sorry… 

SOO-MIN: Tachibana-kun is _definitely_ built to last, though. You wouldn’t guess it on your first look, but that dude is healthy as _crap._

HARUKO: [squints] It looks like his stamina is a little low, though… 

SOO-MIN: But he makes up for it with _pure_ strength and defense, y’know? It doesn’t matter that he can’t run very long when his battlefield is less than five feet in any direction!

HARUKO: Hehe, yeah.

**A voice breaks the silence,**

NAOKI: That’s Tachibana at fifteen wins and Ryuuzaki at, uh, none.

ISAMU: FER NOW! That’s all gonna change soon!

YOSHIJIROU: [good-natured] Yup! It’s gunna be sixteen wins in a sec!

ISAMU: [smirks with brows lowered] Oho-- I’m gonna take yer big ass _down_ “in a sec!”

**Isamu charges at Yoshijirou again with a slightly different approach that gets pulled apart by Yoshijirou in the same amount of time.**

HARUKO: This… entire thing, reminds me of sumo wrestling… which is strange, b-because Tachibana-san isn’t even a sumo wrestler.

SOO-MIN: [points] Not as true as you think it is! I mean, he’s not, but I looked it up. He takes a lotta ideas from those big dudes cuz his weight class is so _broad._ It’s basically anything above three-hundred, so the bigger you are, the better you wrastle.

HARUKO: Don’t tell him you said that, though, I think he gets embarrassed when you call him a Sumo Wrestler. Or a baby.

SOO-MIN: Question, are Sumo Wrestlers just really massive babies, or are babies just really tiny Sumo Wrestlers?

KAORU: … [questions his entire life]

HARUKO: Babies don’t have hair like that.

SOO-MIN: Aha! So the answer is that Sumo Wrestlers are the big babies!

KAORU: I-I thought it was the other way around??

HARUKO: We’re all big babies, you two. All of us are just babies who grew into different people. So that means that Sumo Wrestlers are big babies… but the real answer is that no matter how much we don’t want it to be true, _so are we._

SOO-MIN: …………………… [looks like he’s trying to solve every equation at once]

KAORU: H-Haruko-san… 

HARUKO: (I don’t know what metaphysical truth I just uncovered, and I’m not sure I want to.)

**Isamu and Yoshijirou keep wrestling each other while Naoki occasionally calls out the score, and the three of them all spectate. While Haruko is around Naoki, she tells him about the contents of the meeting he missed-- they’re not very important, but he still appreciates the effort. This goes for some time before everyone runs out of energy and decides to go back to their cabin.**

**Except for Haruko.**

**… … … … … …**

**Haruko stays on the beach and walks around for a moment. A familiar silhouette sits idly on the beach.**

HARUKO: Sully-san?

**Haruko squints at her. As far as she knows, Sully hasn’t moved from this spot since 12 PM.**

SULLY: …?

HARUKO: You’re… still here. It’s been hours… 

SULLY: … I suppose I am, kitten. You’re still here too, you know, wouldn’t want to be a hypocrite now.

HARUKO: Well. Yeah. But I left for a while.

SULLY: … Ah.

HARUKO: Have you… not left this place for an extended period of time?

SULLY: Well when you put it like that, it sounds sad.

HARUKO: … Wanna talk about it?

**Haruko sits down next to Sully in the sand, trying to look sympathetic.**

SULLY: … [sighs.] The whole secret business is making me think about a lot, Kamiki.

HARUKO: For this long?

SULLY: Yes.

HARUKO: … [nods] Mm.

HARUKO: (Sully-san’s secret… or maybe the secret she received… I can’t even begin to imagine what they could be.)

HARUKO: Are you ashamed?

HARUKO: … (Why did I say that.)

SULLY: Hoho! Going straight for the heart, aren’t you dear? Not to worry, I’m quite alright with telling people… just about anything.

SULLY: … Yes. Very much so. I think at this point my entire body is made of nothing but shame.

HARUKO: So it’s bad, then.

SULLY: You could say that, but I’m not sure I mind if people know. After all, I’m not exactly a figurehead of morality anyhow-- the people around me don’t expect much from me, and I don’t expect much from them. It’s just how life is for me.

HARUKO: … Are you lying?

SULLY: … A little. More just generalizing a bit too much, honestly.

SULLY: … Kamiki-chan, there are people who expect so much of me that I’ve let down for so long. If I knew what they thought of me I’d probably break right in two. My spine would just decide to snap itself and I’d die right there, on the spot, never to speak another word.

HARUKO: Something tells me that’s exaggerated.

SULLY: Well, obviously. But it doesn’t feel like an exaggeration. Not anymore.

SULLY: … [grabs the violin by her side and starts playing it]

HARUKO: Have you had that by you the entire time.

SULLY: What did you expect from me, darling? I’m not any ordinary person, I’m Sully O’Sullivan. I don’t wear jeans, I wear jabots.

HARUKO: ( … There’s something about her face… maybe even just _her…_ that seems so… fragile. Like fragile plastic. It almost seems like… if I reached out and tried to break her face in half, it’d work.)

HARUKO: (What is up with you, Sully-san?)

**Haruko sits with Sully for a time before leaving for her cabin.**

**… … … … … …**

**Having had quite enough social interaction for the day, Haruko doesn’t leave her cabin for a good long while. In fact, she doesn’t leave it** **_at all_ ** **. She has to recharge her social battery for so long that by the time she’s willing to talk to another person, it’s already dark outside, her only confidant being the animals she can hear but not see in the woods.**

**Haruko exhales and dresses down to something comfortable for sleep, turns the lights off, and crawls into her bed. The comforter is so warm, and the pillows so soft, that before long, she’s falling asleep.**

**…**

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**…**

MONOKUMA (intercom): Another day, another dead! That’s my favorite saying in the whole wide world. Hello my wonderful Students, please wake up for another day at the island! It’s 7 AM, and everything’s open again!

MONOKUMA (intercom): Today, no corpses will be found, nor blood spilled by your fellow students!

MONOKUMA (intercom): … If you do it right.

[click]

**Haruko wipes the sleep out of her eyes and groans to herself. A voice in the back of her head tells her that she needs to get up, and reluctantly she decides to obey, heading to the girls’ showers to wash up (right next to her cabin!) and going back to her room to suit herself.**

**She adjusts her hat in the mirror and makes sure she looks her best: she has a lot to do today.**

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: Iwanami-san, Yumi-san.

**Haruko sits at her usual table with Yumi and Noelle. She sets down her plate at her chair and sits down.**

NOELLE: Wassup

YUMI: Morning.

HARUKO M-morning.

**They all eat in silence for a few moments.**

NOELLE: Where’s Ou-chan?

HARUKO: Hm?

NOELLE: She hasn’t been here for two days, where is she?

HARUKO: Two days isn’t really that much when we’re talking about Ou-san… She once went missing for a week and a half and just didn’t think to call or text anyone about it. Apparently, she had gone to _Peru._

HARUKO: But… in this situation… I should probably be a little more worried.

NOELLE: Prolly, man.

YUMI: Imada-sama is missing too. I don’t think anyone’s seen her since yesterday… I hope nothing bad happened to her either, even if she’s a bit of a grouch.

NOELLE: Hope so. I bet wherever Ou-chan is, she’s havin’ a _blast_ without us, y’know?

HARUKO: Heheh, yeah, that’s Ou-san for you.

YUMI: Oh, speaking of having fun, do either of you know where Cho-sama could be?

HARUKO: Cho-san? [thinks for a second] I don’t know. I guess he’s just kinda late.

YUMI: Mmm… I guess he wasn’t here yesterday either, so that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Still, how worrying… 

**Breakfast is uneventful for ten minutes. The time is around 7:17 AM.**

SOO-MIN: Hellooooo everybody, sorry I’m late, just had some bidness to attend to. I know, I’m very sexy and attractive and handsome, no need to stare, you’ll have plenty of time to watch me while I walk away later.

XIAOLU: [sipping soda from a straw] You have a plywood ass, Cho-chan, there’s nothing to look at. Even if you did, we’d have to see through your jorts to appreciate it.

SOO-MIN: … I just got here, man, c’mon.

XIAOLU: [chuckles,] You left an opening, I just took it. [blows a kiss]

HARUKO: Cho-san, what took you so long?

SHIGERU: Yeah, the girls over there were starting to get worried.

YOSHIJIROU: [nods,] They thought you were gettin’ decapitated by Tae-kun and Ai-kun.

YOSHIJIROU: [gasp!] Hey! That kinda rhymes! Tae-kun n’ Ai-kun!

SOO-MIN: [at a rhythm] ♪ Tae Ai Soo-min, sittin’ in a tree. They’re de-ca-pi-ta-ting me. ♪

SOO-MIN: [stretches hands behind head] To tell you the truth, I was just sort of… in my room, honestly. I got distracted by my phone and by the time I realized it was time to go, it was already like, fifteen minutes past time to go.

SULLY: Ah, yes, that reminds me of my youth… I drew so many horses during lunch time that I forgot to leave the cafeteria~

SULLY: [plays with earrings] The folly of youth, full of _schadenfreude_ for all of you, I’m sure.

XIAOLU: Oh my God she was a horse girl.

SULLY: [smiles wide] It’s no fault of mine the _humilibus equo_ is so enchanting! As a child, my dream was to be a knight in shining armor on a beautiful stallion… some may say I’ve achieved it-- but nay, I say, nay!

SOO-MIN: Neigh, you say?

SULLY: …… Ohohoho! Hohoho! OHOHOHOHO!! _Touché_ , kitten, the win is yours.

SOO-MIN: The… huh?

**After that, breakfast continues…**

ZENKO: [speaking up] … So, what’s a “horse girl” anyways?

XIAOLU: fifty percent girl, fifty percent horse, one hundred percent _power._

ZENKO: I don’t know why I try with you people. I really don’t.

**… And eventually, ends.**

**… … … … … …**

SHIGERU: [cupping hands over mouth] Kamiki-san!

**Haruko turns behind her and looks towards the top of the stairs in response-- Shigeru starts jogging to her side.**

SHIGERU: Kamiki-san, we should probably check out the cabin that Xiaolu-kun mentioned. Just so that we know no one’s taken refuge there or anything. Does that sound good?

HARUKO: [shrugs] O-okay? Do we just do it right now?

SHIGERU: That’d be the best time, if we want this to be set up today.

HARUKO: Fine by me. Let’s go, then.

**… … … … … …**

**The woods are a place of serene, natural beauty. Yet at the same time they’re impossible. The deeper into the woods the two go, the more it seems like the seasons are shifting with them. The leaves on the trees get more orange and red, and start to fall. Haruko finally feels the chill that everyone else seems to mention as she and Shigeru walk steadily on a path into the forest.**

**By the time they reach the cabin, it’s like a picturesque vision of November, complete with a single wooden cabin.**

**The cabin itself is unimpressive. It’s all brown with no real paint to make it stand out, the only thing that really stands out about it is that you need to climb a small set of stairs to reach a balcony that goes into the front door. This isn’t new either. The same could be said about the cabins and the dining hall. In short, the place is utterly unremarkable. Empty.**

SHIGERU: [starry-eyed] It’s perfect.

HARUKO: … Is it?

SHIGERU: Yes, absolutely! It’s absolutely perfect! There’s so much potential here, Kamiki-san! This is the perfect venue for a party!

HARUKO: W-whatever you say, Kohana-san. You should probably go inside before you say something like that, though.

SHIGERU: Ah. Of course, I almost forgot. Kamiki-san, let's go in--

**Shigeru’s hand stops right before he starts to turn the handle.**

SHIGERU: …………………… 

SHIGERU: Kamiki-san, you stay outside, okay?

HARUKO: [increasingly anxious] W-why?

SHIGERU: It smells awful in there, which could mean a lot of things, dead animals, predators, bad mold, whatever I just don’t think it’d be good for both of us to risk it… plus, I get a really bad feeling coming from there that I just can’t explain, and I’m sorry for that. I can’t let you go in yet, but I’ll tell you when the coast is clear, okay?

HARUKO: [nods cautiously] … 

**Shigeru presses onwards and Haruko is left in silence.**

**…**

**The creak of wooden floorboards.**

**…**

**A gentle stomp, then a second, then a third.**

**…**

**A curious sound muffled by direction and space and matter, yet still, it’s heard.**

**…**

**Wood rubbing against wood, it’s almost like bamboo.**

**…**

**Quiet.**

SHIGERU: Aa… 

SHIGERU: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGHHHH!!!

**A shriek of primal fear.**

[ding dong bong bing]

MONOKUMA (intercom): A body has been discovered!

MONOKUMA (intercom): Now, after a certain amount of time has passed-- which you can use however you like-- the class trial will begin!

MONOKUMA (intercom): The body is deep in a cabin in the woods, so good luck! It shouldn’t be too hard!

**Realization hits Haruko like a steaknife to the stomach. She runs into the cabin as quickly as she can manage-- and she sees Shigeru hyperventilating on the floor, clearly having leapt away from whatever he’d discovered in the past few seconds. His pale face looks close to dragging the contents of his stomach onto the wooden floor, Haruko wouldn’t be able to look away if something much, much more important wasn’t directly in front of him.**

**A few of the wooden, creaky floorboards of the cabin have been moved. Below them, is a pale, sheet-white body dressed in passionate crimson. It stares gummily and unblinking at Haruko with no muscle left to control its eyelids. The pose almost reminds Haruko of a funeral, both of the body’s arms have been guided to its chest, and a sick part of Haruko wonders if that makes the space under the house its coffin.**

**Haruko almost passes out when she realizes who the body belongs to.**

**Tae Ou’s body lies dead beneath the floor of the cabin.**

**Haruko screams.**

… 

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**[ 15 STUDENTS REMAINING ]**

**[ 1 HAS DIED ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh. That's not great. 
> 
> Most people saw this coming, and I don't really mind that. It gets much less predictable later on-- maybe even as soon as this trial, depending on how you guessed.  
> I hope you all enjoyed Tae's run while she was alive <3
> 
> Here's a poll about your predictions for who killed her.  
> https://www.strawpoll.me/19829617
> 
> If you would like to discuss this chapter, CDR has a discord that can be accessed here!  
> https://discord.gg/zqFR8zf
> 
> If you want to support CDR's creation, I absolutely LIVE off of comments and feedback. They're basically the number one way to get me to update more. Just tell me your thoughts on some characters or something like that, and I'll be more motivated to finish the backlog I'm working on-- which means you get updates faster! It's good for everyone!
> 
> Thank you for reading CDR!


	7. [1-4] [Deadly] What Remains to be Seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruko investigates a corpse for the second time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for mentions of drugs and mentions of vomit. If I recall correctly, there's also a bit of unsanitary words relating to what corpses do when they die? Though that may not be for another few updates, sorry.
> 
> Please enjoy!

… 

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**Quiet.**

**Through Haruko’s ears, the clamoring of people around her sounds muffled, like hearing a conversation through good headphones. She barely even feels awake as she stares down at the corpse of what used to be her friend. Her mind begins to defog the slightest bit, and she can start to make sense of the white noise surrounding her.**

SULLY: _Lass Gott lügen …_ What in the Hell happened here?!

ZENKO: [visibly disgusted] Oh dear fucking _Christ_ , that _stench!_

KAORU: O-Ou… That’s… n-no, no, no… 

**Haruko gets her bearings-- right now, she is in a room full of herself and the other remaining fourteen Students. They are surrounding a corpse, which, for some reason, has been hidden in the floorboards.**

MIZUKI: [audibly wretches,] A-ah… 

AI: [quivering] Hhhghgh… 

HARUKO: … (What… what the hell is going on?)

HARUKO: (Why would someone… why _did_ someone… kill… Ou-san…?)

ISAMU: T-this… this ain’t right, man! This just isn’t right!

ISAMU: Shit… _shit!_ Shit! What the fuck!

**No one knows what to say, really, so they just let their brains go haywire until something happens to guide them.**

**That something happens to be a bear.**

MONOKUMA: Helloooo Students~!

YOSHIJIROU: Y-you!! Why the hell’d you do this to Tae-kun!? She didn’t break any rules, so _you’re_ the one who broke sumthin’!

MONOKUMA: … Lard-for-brains, what are you talking about? I didn’t kill Tae Ou! That’s _omega_ against the rules! If I did that, I’d get totally wiped out!

NOELLE: So… so yer sayin’ you _didn’t_ kill Ou-chan? If you didn’t then who the hell did!?

MONOKUMA: [unamused] That’s your job to figure out, dumbass.

MONOKUMA: Seriously, what’s the point of having a killing game if you don’t have to figure out the culprit? Murder without mystery is like a fish without an eye: badly written!

SHIGERU: W-why do we have to figure out who killed her? That’s not… it shouldn’t be like that!

MONOKUMA: _You have to figure it out because I said so, Flower Child._ God, where’s the mystery with you guys? Don’t you wanna figure out who axed your dear, lovable Tae Ou?

SULLY: _Of course_ we would like to know, but I believe it’s… out of our range, to investigate a _murder._ Kurosawa-kun is probably the best suited for the job, but the rest of us… _Блядь_ , I doubt most of us have even seen a _pet_ die!

MONOKUMA: Oh, that’s accounted for.

HARUKO: H-huh?

MONOKUMA: [smug] Do you guys seriously think I wouldn’t even help a _little?_ Quit underestimating me, y’all! I may be evil, but I’m not a public school teacher!

MONOKUMA: [winks] Here, check your phones!

[ding!]

**The familiar bell-like sound rings throughout the cabin. Haruko takes her phone out of her pocket as a reflex and opens it up. One new notification: it’s from the** **_Monomessage_ ** **app.**

HARUKO: … Mono… Kuma, file?

HARUKO: What the hell is a Monokuma File?

MONOKUMA: Exactly what it sounds like, Paparazzi! It’s a file created by _moi!_ It’s basically like an autopsy for dummies. Since you guys aren’t professionals, I’ve listed everything I can in that there Monomessage! Go on, check it out!

**Hesitantly, Haruko taps it with her thumb.**

[ > Monokuma File #.01

The victim is Tae Ou, who was discovered in the Woodland Cabin at 8:04 AM.

Most probably, the cause of death is exsanguination.

The victim died around 7:00 AM. ]

HARUKO: (It’s… definitely an autopsy report… 7:00 AM, that should be this morning.)

YOSHIJIROU: Anyone here know what ‘exsungination’ means?

KAORU: It’s-- it’s blood loss, [mumbles something] … 

YUMI: E-exsanguination… that refers to… death via blood loss.

NAOKI: “Monokuma File #.01… “ Is that referring to Ou’s assigned number or the number of Monokuma Files there are?

MONOKUMA: The latter, Ball ‘n Chain! The numbers aren’t _that_ important!

NAOKI: [sigh,] Got it.

CONNOR: Sooo, we have the Monokuma File… now what do we do?

MONOKUMA: I mean, investigate, obviously! What else?

MONOKUMA: [proper] You have a certain amount of time to investigate-- or do anything, really, before the Class Trial is held. This certain amount of time is… about as much time as I feel like! Sorry, not sorry!

MONOKUMA: Don’t worry about it not being fair, I’ll give you enough time to find important evidence, so unless you _really_ suck, you won’t be missin’ much!

MONOKUMA: You should definitely worry about _really_ sucking though. I’ve seen enough reality TV to know that a group of fifteen can be totally incompetent in the right circumstances!

MONOKUMA: Use the ‘evidence’ app on your MonoPhones to record what you find, it’s been optimized for that… 

MONOKUMA: [pleasantly puts hands together] And speaking of apps, you can always call me with the app to ask any question you like! GLHF!

**No one has the energy to stop him as he waddles away like a madman. Haruko turns her attention to the rest of the room. She sighs, resigning herself to her fate-- she’s going to have to investigate a body.**

**Again.**

NOELLE: Haruko-chan… you’ve done this before, right?

HARUKO: Ah-- huh?

NOELLE: In yer report card, it said you investigated a body before… I figure that’s more than any of us have, so how about you lead the way?

KAORU: H-Haruko-san, y-you’ve done this before?? Please, help us!!

NAOKI: [incredulous smile] You’ve… _seriously_ investigated a body before? Not even I’ve done that, a-and I’m the criminologist.

HARUKO: Uh, guys--

SHIGERU: _Please_ give us a hand we have _no_ idea what we’re doing,

CONNOR: Y-you have experience? You know how to do this?

YUMI: Please… 

HARUKO: [pulls hat over face] Q-quiet for a second… 

**There’s the low mumbling of people before a general quietness settles the cabin.**

HARUKO: … Yeah, I’ve… investigated a body, before… I guess that’s more than you guys have done? But, uh, it wasn’t really… I’m not the best at it.

YOSHIJIROU: “Not the best '' is way better than the rest of us, brah! Yer like a tween with a crowd’a babies all around you!

HARUKO: (What does that even mean?!)

ZENKO: I dunno why everyone _else_ is being weird, but yeah, having the help of someone more _experienced_ would probably make the chances of us dying… Like, _less_ than a hundred percent? Less than a hundred sounds right, yeah.

HARUKO: High praise.

ZENKO: For me, yes, that _is_ high praise.

NAOKI: [almost interrupts her] _Her point being_ that someone with experience should probably lead the investigation. Kamiki-san, do you think you could do that.

HARUKO: … [sighs,] Y-yeah. Yeah, I think I can.

**A sigh of relief is felt all over the cabin. Haruko smiles a tiny smile at the thought that they’re happy because of her, but the gravity of the situation pulls it down quickly after.**

HARUKO: (... Ou-san. You were my friend when no one else was. I’ll never get to tell you that, but for some reason, I feel like you knew. That we weren’t just _acquaintances,_ we were friends. If that happened because of this game, or before it, I don’t know. I don’t think I really care either.)

HARUKO: [under her breath] Ou-san… (I’ll find out what happened to you!)

**Haruko takes another quick look at the Monokuma file.**

[ > Monokuma File #.01

The victim is Tae Ou, who was discovered in the Woodland Cabin at 8:04 AM.

Most probably, the cause of death is exsanguination.

The victim died around 7:00 AM. ]

HARUKO: (Most probably? So even Monokuma isn’t sure, huh… )

**[ > TRUTH BULLET 1. - Monokuma File #.01 ]**

HARUKO: This file should be really important, but… _still…_ I wish it sounded more sure of itself.

YOSHIJIROU: The nerve’a that guy… usin’ such a big word and not even’ bein’ sure about it? That’s gotta be a crime!!

NAOKI: … [he has a weird grimace on his face]

HARUKO: I-I dunno… there has to be some reason Monokuma isn’t sure, right? If Kurosawa-san is right, and this is being broadcast somewhere, then there have to be cameras somewhere, and I can’t really think of a reason they wouldn’t be in here.

SHIGERU: [awkward] I agree, but… I can’t really think of any reason why he’d be unsure. I-it looks pretty straightforward-- the origin point of all that blood looks to be her throat, so… it probably got cut.

HARUKO: Eugh.

SHIGERU: I know… [rubs back of neck] she really didn’t deserve it, Kamiki-san.

HARUKO: [sighs,] Imada-san!!

AI: [snapping to attention] !?

HARUKO: S-sorry if that scared you, Imada-san, I was just wondering…

HARUKO: [crosses arms] You’re a veterinarian, right…? Could you… check out the body? Y’know, for anything strange?

AI: Ghhghg… Y-you humans th-think you’re on the same level as animals… y-your anatomies are vastly different from them, s-so I wouldn’t be able to treat _you all…_

AI: … But, I-I guess I’m probably the best option… so whatever… 

AI: I-I’ll… go see if anything’s weird.

HARUKO: [nods thankfully] _Thank you,_ Imada-san.

AI: Don’t mention it. Seriously, _d-don’t._

HARUKO: Of course.

YUMI: Ah, Imada-san, I can… help you examine the body. Please, allow me.

**Ai and Yumi towards Tae’s body while Ai starts giving orders to the stronger people in the room.**

SHIGERU: That… that was a good idea, Kamiki-san.

HARUKO: Really? It’s only natural, honestly, e-even if I did investigate her body… I-I don’t think I’d know if anything was wrong.

SHIGERU: [nods,] If the body’s accounted for, we should search the rest of the room.

HARUKO: It’s so empty… I don’t really know if there’s anything to search.

SHIGERU: It’s only empty if you don’t know where to look-- like, over there, there’s a puddle of something.

HARUKO: [squints] Is that… vomit?

**There’s a small puddle of vomit in the backmost corner of the room.**

HARUKO: That has to be important…

MIZUKI: [awkwardly chimes in] Ah, sorry, that’s… mine.

HARUKO: Oh.

MIZUKI: Y-yeah, I… didn’t do too well, seeing her body… I’ll clean it up, sorry.

HARUKO: No, i-it’s fine, I’ll just, uh… [awkwardly walks away]

**Haruko eventually reaches Ai, investigating the body, which had been moved onto the floor by Isamu and Yoshijirou (who look pretty bloody now).**

HARUKO: [stifles a gag,] I-Imada-san… have you figured anything out yet?

AI: Nothing aside from the obvious… h-her throat was slit, obviously-- the weapon is probably a common knife, a-and she’s been dead for a little while… There’s something… Off about it, though… I-I dunno what… 

AI: P-plus it smells _really really bad._

HARUKO: I see… Thank you, Imada-san.

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 2. - Tae’s Body ]**

HARUKO: [turns] Kohana-san, do you have any ideas? You… _are_ the one who suggested using the cabin.

SHIGERU: [rubs back of neck] No… I don’t, sorry. I know as much as you do. I came into this cabin with you, and when I got the floorboards up, I saw her, a-and… then that announcement played… 

NAOKI: What?

SHIGERU: Oh, I said the announcement played--

NAOKI: No, I heard you, but that’s _impossible._

NAOKI: [looking at phone] “Rule ten: When three or more Students discover a corpse, a Body Discovery Announcement will be sounded.”

NAOKI: Even counting Kamiki-san in the discovery, that doesn’t make any sense, because that’s _two_ people.

ZENKO: [butts into the conversation] You’re forgetting someone.

NAOKI: What? No I’m not.

ZENKO: [twirls hair around jaw] Uh, yes, yes you are! The entire reason Ou got axed in the first place; _her killer._

NAOKI: [thoughtful expression] … So you’re saying Ou-san’s killer counts in the discovery?

SHIGERU: That isn’t… it’s not unthinkable, I guess, But I-I don’t know… considering the rules of this game, wouldn’t that be unfair towards the blackened?

ZENKO: This _entire game_ is unfair to the blackened! Right now, we’re fourteen to one against them, what’s another inconvenient rule?

NAOKI: Huh… Not a dull point, but… it just feels wrong, to count them.

HARUKO: [awkwardly raises hand] We… we could just ask him?

ZENKO: …

NAOKI: …

SHIGERU: … That’s also a good point. I’ll call him real quick, alright?

**Shigeru takes his phone out from his pocket, it’s probably the most punk-looking smartphone Haruko has ever seen. A few taps later, something’s playing through its speakers.**

[ _♫ somewhat catchy phone jingle ♫ ]_

MONOKUMA: Yooohoo! I heard you call me, Flower Child! What is it you need help with?

NAOKI: It’s about the body discovery announcement… we were wondering if the killer counts?

MONOKUMA: [ticked] Ugh, of _course_ you ask that… y’know, every gosh darn time, someone asks if the killer counts, and it’s so annoying!! The body discovery announcement isn’t supposed to be used for deduction! It’s in order to make a fair, murderous environment for every Student here!

ZENKO: [points up] So does it or doesn’t it, shit-for-brains?!

MONOKUMA: Depends.

MONOKUMA: [tilts head] Depending on the murder, and who discovers it, then I can make adjustments on the fly, y’know?

HARUKO: You’re dodging the question.

ZENKO: [hand on side of neck] So, was Kamiki-san part of the three who found it or not?

MONOKUMA: [laughing] Oh, definitely not! She didn’t even see the body! You have to _see_ the body to discover it, Cyclone!

SHIGERU: So… that means at least one other person discovered the body before I did… that’s worrying.

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: You kids really are annoying.

MONOKUMA: Fine, fine, I’ll spill! The killer doesn’t count this time! Three people aside from the blackened discovered Tae Ou’s body!

NAOKI: … So the killer _wasn’t Kohana-san?_

SHIGERU: I-is that surprising?

ZENKO: [smug] Yeah, I dunno, you were kinda high on my list of suspects~

SHIGERU: [blinks] … I don’t know how to respond to that.

NAOKI: [incredulous expression] You found it first, dude, it doesn’t hurt to start there.

SHIGERU: W-whatever, just, uh… find out who _actually killed her._

SHIGERU: Thank you, I guess, Monokuma--

**He left.**

SHIGERU: … Ah.

HARUKO: Well… at least we got something useful out of that.

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 3. - Body Discovery Announcement ]**

**Looking towards where the body once was, but isn’t anymore. In place of Tae’s body, there’s a blue, flowery tarp.**

HARUKO: W-why even put a body under the floorboards? It was found pretty easily after that… all the killer’s effort was just sort of wasted because the room was so empty… 

SHIGERU: I have no idea, but, uh, when I found this place, I checked it out pretty thoroughly. There’s _no_ way to get below the floor without actually removing the floorboards, which is what I’m pretty sure they did.

SHIGERU: [points to errant floorboards] See? There’s some strained wood where they forced out the nails. I guess they couldn’t put them back in after that, so they just put them over the body.

HARUKO: I get it… so they couldn’t have just used some passage to get underneath there.

SHIGERU: D-definitely not… 

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 4. - Woodland Cabin / Floorboards ]**

HARUKO: I’m also confused about that tarp. My best guess is that they used it to clean up the blood, but I don’t see why they’d do that… 

SHIGERU: I don’t either… 

**Haruko feels a tap on her shoulder. She turns around and is greeted with the pleasant, currently-pale face of Mizuki.**

MIZUKI: That’s… mine.

HARUKO: That’s your tarp?

MIZUKI: Yes, i-it is… It got stolen around yesterday, though.

HARUKO: Really? How?

SHIGERU: Yeah, _please_ tell us, that could be very useful.

MIZUKI: Well… it was around 6:35 AM… [deep thought] no, maybe 6:30…? No no, **6:45**. I had knocked on Imada-san’s door, since she’s usually up by then… and I was offering her some pie-- by the time I got back, though, someone had stolen the tarp right off my cart… and all of my baskets were on the ground… 

SHIGERU: Oh! I remember that! I helped you pick those up!

MIZUKI: [smiles] Yes… you. I’m very grateful. It would have taken me so long to pick those up on my own, I wouldn’t have been able to salvage anything… but thanks to Kohana-kun, I made it on schedule.

HARUKO: Ah, so… that’s why it’s, erm, _here._

MIZUKI: Yeah, that’s what I’d assume… jeez… it was such a pretty tarp, too.

HARUKO: [nods.] (What she just told me… that could be _very very_ useful for the trial.)

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 5. - Floral Tarp ]**

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 6. - Mizuki’s Account ]**

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 7. - Sweets Cart ]**

SHIGERU: Kamiki-san, I think that’s about it for here. You go on out, the rest of us will see what’s going on here.

HARUKO: [eyes wide] R-really?? Are you sure that’s okay?

SHIGERU: Would I tell you to do it if I _didn’t?_ You’re an incredible help, but… we can’t expect you to scour every inch of the crime scene, can we?

HARUKO: [pulls hat down] I guess, but…

SHIGERU: [teasing tone] _Kamiki-san._

HARUKO: Yeah… I’ll go.

**Haruko walks out of the cabin… or she tries to, before she feels a hand clasp her shoulder.**

ZENKO: [staring daggers at her] _I’m coming with you._

HARUKO: W-WAUGH!?

ZENKO: Elegant response, huh. Whatever, you can’t stop me, because I am _absolutely_ coming with you _wherever_ you go.

HARUKO: W-why, though?!

ZENKO: Uh, because I want in on the evidence? Duh-doy! I already know all the shit in there, and, surprisingly, there’s _no way_ that room is as important as it looks.

HARUKO: … I guess that’s… _fair…_

ZENKO: So you agree! Okay, it’s settled then, [singsong] _I’m coming with you~_

HARUKO: [sighs,] Fine.

HARUKO: W-we should probably check out Ou-san’s cabin first, if anything.

**… … … … … …**

**Tae’s cabin is similar to what Haruko expects. Full of documents, books, and even a few maps strung along the walls. Everything an ambassador would need. Something that catches Haruko’s attention, though, is a coffee machine on the desk.**

HARUKO: … Huh… the door was unlocked… 

ZENKO: Uhh, of course it was? The locks are like, controlled by our smartphones, right? So Monokuma be able to open them _whenever the fuck_ he wants.

ZENKO: If something’s important in here, then there’s no chance we’d find it if it wasn’t unlocked, y’know?

HARUKO: [nods] I guess that makes sense… Either way, where should we start?

ZENKO: Probably there. [points to the floor]

**Haruko looks to the floor, and sees something suspicious.**

HARUKO: _A mug…_

ZENKO: And that stain is pretty obvious too? I thought you were supposed to be the detective here, god.

HARUKO: M-my friend just _died,_ Higuchi-san.

**Despite her protest Haruko bends down on the floor and inspects it. Like Zenko mentioned, there’s a stain right next to a glass mug on the floor. The stain is brown, clearly visible on the beige carpet, and it seems to have dried some time ago.**

HARUKO: Coffee… 

ZENKO: [checks nails] How _astoundingly_ suspicious. The mug’s not even broken… 

HARUKO: My best guess is that Ou-san dropped it for some reason… but, why?

ZENKO: [deep thought] … I have an idea.

ZENKO: [points] See that coffee machine?

HARUKO: [nods,] It looks very expensive… it was probably brand new before the tragedy.

ZENKO: Yeah, that’s not important. What is important is what _kind_ it is.

HARUKO: W-what do you mean?

ZENKO: [rolls her eyes] Ugh, are you for real? It’s a _keurig._ It’s the kind of coffee machine that uses K-Cups.

HARUKO: I… don’t see how that’s important.

ZENKO: Okay, I’ll explain it like this… you know how if you put water into a normal coffee maker, you usually can’t use the water to make too many cups?

HARUKO: Ahuh?

ZENKO: Well, with a keurig, you can put a bunch of water in there and use it for a good few days. If my idea’s right, then that could be _pretty goddamn important._

**Zenko struts over to the coffee machine and opens the lid to the water section. She dips her finger in gently and puts it in her mouth--**

**Before promptly spitting it out.**

ZENKO: Ugh! _Gross!_ It’s tastes like the fucking ocean!

HARUKO: What-- what does that mean, though?

ZENKO: _It means it’s roofied._

HARUKO: Roo… fied?

ZENKO: You know what _GHB_ is, right? It’s a drug that knocks people out pretty god damn quickly, and one of the warning signs is that it tastes _mega_ salty.

ZENKO: We’re pretty lucky they used GHB-- if they used Rohypnol, then it’d be totally undetectable.

ZENKO: [deep thought] It usually kicks in around fifteen, twenty minutes after ingestion, but… I guess if someone used _that_ much, then it could have been sooner.

HARUKO: [squints] How would someone even get GHB on this island?

ZENKO: [checks nails] The pharmacy.

ZENKO: You don’t have to be on a prescription or anything to get _whatever_ you want from there. For instance, just for kicks, I ordered something I didn’t plan on taking.

ZENKO: … And I got it.

HARUKO: What was it?

ZENKO: Oh, y’know, just _Potassium fucking Cyanide._

HARUKO: !!!

HARUKO: [mumbling] So the killer, whoever they are, could have easily ordered GHB from over the counter… 

HARUKO: _And then put it in Ou-san’s coffee machine…_

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 8. - Spilled Coffee ]**

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 9. - K-cup Coffee Machine ]**

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 10. - GHB ] **

HARUKO: Drugs… are so scary… 

ZENKO: [bitter sarcasm] Wait till you hear about guns.

HARUKO: Ah, hang on, I should probably check too…

**She sticks her finger in the water, and then her mouth. Just like Zenko said, it has a terrible, salty flavor. Haruko immediately spits it out.**

HARUKO: _Augh!_ Y-yeah, that’s… definitely bad.

ZENKO: What? Did you think I was lying? Why the hell would I like about that, it doesn’t even benefit me.

HARUKO: I was just checking… to be sure.

**Haruko investigates the room a bit more, but doesn’t find anything very important. In fact, aside from the coffee, there’s barely anything at all. Resigned, she sighs and goes to open the door… but on the other side…**

KAORU: !!

HARUKO: T-Teruya-san?!

ZENKO: What the hell is that little brat doing here?!

KAORU: I-I, um, I--!!

ZENKO: [actively disgusted] Were you _spying on us_ you bug-eyed freak!? What is _wrong_ with you!?

KAORU: I-I just… I want-- I wanted to help!

HARUKO: I… I don’t think that standing behind a door while we’re investigating is gonna do us much good.

KAORU: I… I followed you here, a-and I didn’t want to interrupt anything, s-so…

HARUKO: (Hm… if he really wants to help… maybe I could… )

HARUKO: Teruya-san, go check out everyone’s cabins.

HARUKO: For some reason, Ou-san’s cabin… was unlocked. If that’s the case for the rest of them, then you could get a lot of valuable evidence just seeing what they keep in their rooms.

KAORU: [beams] … O-okay! That sounds really, r-really good! I-I’ll help you out, Haruko-san, I-I promise!

**Kaoru bonks into something as he tries to go down the stairs…**

MONOKUMA: Heeeelloooo~!

  
ZENKO: _You again!?_

KAORU: Oooowww… that kinda hurt…!

HARUKO: [clutches shirt] Why are you here? A-are you just gonna tell us that you only unlocked Ou-san’s door?

MONOKUMA: Hell no! [harumph] In fact… I’m gonna tell you the _exact_ opposite!

MONOKUMA: Paparazzi, I didn’t unlock Tae Ou’s door, but I unlocked _every_ other door! Y’know, just for investigative purposes.

ZENKO: … What does that mean??

HARUKO: So Ou-san’s door… was already unlocked?

MONOKUMA: Ahuh! I don’t wanna be misinterpreted! I _really_ hate it when people say I did things that I just didn’t!

MONOKUMA: Welp, that’s all I had to say, toodles!

HARUKO: Hey, wait--!!

**He’s gone before Haruko can even say anything.**

HARUKO: Dammit! I was gonna ask him why it was unlocked… 

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 11. - Monokuma’s Account ]**

KAORU: L-like he’d tell you that…

ZENKO: Yeah, as if.

ZENKO: Side note, are we _really_ just gonna let that pissy mop-haired brat waltz into our rooms? There’s no way I’d let him touch _any_ of my shit.

KAORU: [clutches stuffed animal] H-hey!! I’m not a mop-haired brat!

ZENKO: _As if._

HARUKO: Higuchi-san, if no one has anything to hide, they should be okay with it.

ZENKO: Ugh, fine. Just know, that if you steal _any one_ of my goddamn perfumes, you are _dead_ , you little freak of nature.

KAORU: W-why would I want those? I-I’m a _boy…_

ZENKO: [she has a weird grimace on her face] … Whatever. Skedaddle already.

**Kaoru takes off down the stairs with a new mission, his sandals clapping against the floor as he runs.**

HARUKO: [fiddles with hat] Alright… I’m gonna see if there’s anything on the left side, you check out the right, okay?

ZENKO: _When_ did we decide we were gonna separate?

HARUKO: … I just feel like it’d be more efficient, y’know?

ZENKO: [shrugs] Yeah, I wasn’t complaining. Whaaatever, see you later.

**Zenko steps down the cabins stairs too, heading off to the east side of the island.**

HARUKO: (Okay… now, to investigate)

**… … … … … …**

**The beach’s sand under her shoes is a familiar, unpleasant sensation. Like it could make her slip whenever it wanted to-- that’s how it feels to her. Haruko scans the beach for anything interesting, and a very green silhouette catches her attention.**

HARUKO: Ren-san…?

XIAOLU: [vaguely turns to look at HARUKO] … 

**Xiaolu is sitting on the beach looking out at the ocean.**

HARUKO: I thought you were at the cabin.

XIAOLU: I was. Now I’m not.

XIAOLU: [shrugs] Funny how that works.

HARUKO: [sighs,] Do you know something?

XIAOLU: Sixty-nine in binary is one-zero-zero--

HARUKO: [exasperated] _About the murder,_ Ren-san.

XIAOLU: [turns back to the ocean] Yeah, I don’t think so, no.

HARUKO: … You might actually know more than you think. T-the case seems to have a lot to do with Satou-san’s sweets cart. The tarp on it got stolen yesterday, so if you saw that, then it should be great.

XIAOLU: [cocks an eyebrow] Uh, _sure?_

XIAOLU: Satou-chan always wakes up at 6:30 and pushes her cart around, until breakfast, and then _after_ breakfast she pushes it around a little more until she has to do stuff.

XIAOLU: She’s pretty diligent with that stuff, honestly, there haven’t been, like, _any_ fluctuations since the day after we got here.

HARUKO: [taking notes on phone] Even today?

XIAOLU: Uhuh. She just kinda… does it. 

HARUKO: Wait. You’ve been waking up before 6:30 every day since the game began?

XIAOLU: [bluntly] Kamiki, I have chronic insomnia, I usually go to bed at like, 5 pm.

HARUKO: [nods,] Do you know anything about GHB?

XIAOLU: I just use nyquil. Chug chug, motherfucker.

XIAOLU: … Side note, take my testimony with a grain of salt, I guess?

XIAOLU: My cabin is on the guys side, so I can’t really see what’s going on too well. Like, obviously, I can watch from the back balcony, but at a certain point it gets kinda hard to see.

HARUKO: There’s a _guys_ side?

XIAOLU: [shrugs] They’re divided by gender. Girls are more north, guys are more south. I’m kinda surprised you haven’t noticed.

HARUKO: W-well, I haven’t really been to any man’s cabin here… 

XIAOLU: Haha, _ouch_.

HARUKO: (It’s not like that!! Shut up!!)

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 12. - Xiaolu’s Account ]**

XIAOLU: Well, either way, you should probably be wrapping up soon.

HARUKO: … Why?

XIAOLU: Because I kinda doubt Monokuma’s gonna let this go on for much longer. It’s been almost an hour since the investigation started, right?

HARUKO: That’s true… I just hope Monokuma lets us get everything we need.

XIAOLU: [absentminded expression] … Me too.

HARUKO: … [nods,] I’ll see you in the class trial.

XIAOLU: Eh, maybe.

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: (It doesn’t look like there’s anything on the beach… at least, I think.)

**Haruko has been searching the west side of the island for a little bit now, and the only thing she’s found so far is sand, sand, and more sand.**

HARUKO: (... This is hopeless. I can’t find anything… related to Ou-san’s death…)

HARUKO: (There’s no way I’m going to avenge her. I’m going to fail, and our demise… it’ll be my fault.)

**With a blank expression Haruko pivots her torso on her legs, looking around. There’s nothing. Just the sound of the ocean reaching for her shoes. As she turns towards it she feels something she can’t describe. Like a sense of calm, though that’s not how she would describe it. It’s more of a resignation. One of the most despicably simple aspects of despair.**

HARUKO: … [sighs.]

HARUKO: (Whatever.)

**Haruko turns towards the main island.**

**… And stops. She does a double take to her left.**

HARUKO: What the hell…?

**A solemn white spot in the middle of the beach. A tiny circle. Haruko walks towards it hesitantly, just in case it’s her eyes playing tricks on her.**

**It’s not.**

**Haruko picks up the off-white ball.**

HARUKO: (... Paper?)

**It’s a balled-up piece of white paper that was sitting on the beach.**

HARUKO: (What… what is this doing here?)

HARUKO: (No, no, that’s not important, I just need to…)

**She unrolls it and reads its perfectly dry contents.**

HARUKO: !!!

**Haruko doesn’t know what she’s reading.**

_"Dear Noelle Iwanami,_

_Please visit me at 11 AM tomorrow. I'll be in a cabin in the woods. There's a trail if you get deep enough in, if you follow it, you should be fine._

_-Love, Tae Ou."_

HARUKO: (…………………………)

HARUKO: (I can’t… begin to understand what this means…)

HARUKO: (Did Ou-san… write this this morning? Before she died? Was it forged by the culprit?)

HARUKO: (I don’t understand…! I just don’t understand!!)

HARUKO: (What happened this morning…? What happened surrounding Ou-san’s death…?)

**[ >TRUTH BULLET 13. - Beach Note ]**

[ ding dong, dong ding! ]

MONOKUMA (intercom): Alright, that should be enough investigating for my lovely Students, make your way down to the stage in the middle of the island and wait for your almighty headmaster to _spread his gospel~!_

MONOKUMA (intercom): Assuming you all arrive at a reasonable time, nothing bad should happen to you.

MONOKUMA (intercom): … If you do it right.

[click]

HARUKO: D-damn it! I still have no idea where to start! Where do I go with this?! Who killed her?!

**Haruko clutches the note tight in her hands, shaking lightly. With a sudden release, she resigns herself once more, and turns back towards the main island.**

**… … … … … …**

HARUKO: … (It’s so lonely without anyone here.)

**Haruko is the only one by the stage-- Zenko hasn’t shown up yet and the rest of them are still trying to get themselves together. Either that, or they’re in the woods.**

**The silence is almost eerie enough to distract her from the buzz of her head. Filled with thoughts. Truth be told, she has no idea how she’s going to survive this, even with the new information she’s gathered. How will she figure out who killed Tae when everyone on this island seems so kind? Would it really be okay to sacrifice the killer for the sake of the rest? And so on, and so forth, thoughts so numerous that listing them how she thinks them would be pointless. There’s so much going through her head that it feels somewhat like nothing at all.**

KAORU: Haruko-san!!

HARUKO: [takes a second to respond] … Oh. Teruya-san. Hi.

KAORU: [clutches stuffed animal] I-I did what you told me to, Haruko-san! I-I searched everyone’s cabins!! J-just like you said!

HARUKO: That’s… that’s great, Teruya-san! Did you find anything?

KAORU: Well, I--

XIAOLU: Save it for the triiiiiiiial. [odd, relaxed pose] If you have evidence, you wanna share it in fronta everyone at the same time. Isn’t that why we have this thing in the first place, to discuss evidence?

HARUKO: (When did they get here…?) I see your point… We should focus more on gathering evidence, since we have a delegated time to present it?

XIAOLU: Somethin’ like that, kyeheh.

KAORU: I-I guess t-that’s fair… 

ZENKO: There would be like, _zero_ point in saying them now, right? We’d totally just have to explain them later, or whatever. [checks nails] Suuuuuper annoying.

HARUKO: Higuchi-san, you’re here too?

ZENKO: Uh, yeah, duh? I know I can be pretty _contrarian_ , but like, I don’t want a spear up my ass any more than you do. Unless that’s like, your thing, in which cause it’d _totally_ be your secret, so I’d learn about it anyway, sooo?

HARUKO: Ah. Thank you. For the information. Higuchi-san.

ZENKO: [dripping sarcasm] _My pleasure._

XIAOLU: Higuchi-chan was investigating? That’s sorta hard to believe.

ZENKO: [scoffs,] Like I said, dying isn’t exactly high on my to-do list. Did you _not_ investigate?

XIAOLU: [yawns,] I tried for a little, but it didn’t work.

ZENKO: What the hell do you mean it didn’t work?! That doesn’t make any sense!

XIAOLU: [shrugs] I dunno. I don’t make the rules. Didn’t work.

ZENKO: [pinches bridge of nose] God must have been high on the Devil’s Lettuce when he made you, I swear.

KAORU: [to HARUKO, venomous] T-these two are _rich_ together.

HARUKO: [quiet, smiling a little] … Sadly, agreed.

**… … … … … …**

**Time passes and the others start to show up and gather around the stage, some alone, some in a group or a pair, until eventually, before too long, fifteen students crowded around the stage. Haruko decides to gather some information.**

HARUKO: How is everyone feeling? About the trial, I mean.

CONNOR: Color me bad, chief.

NAOKI: [fiddling with braid] What he said.

HARUKO: [squints w/ an awkward smile] D-did none of you find anything??

NAOKI: I wouldn’t say that, but at the very least, this trial is gonna be… tough.

YUMI: … Kurosawa-sama, I’m confident victory is in reach. All you have to do is get your hands on it. [smiles melancholically]

NAOKI: Uh, sure? Okay.

HARUKO: (Kurosawa-san… he seems so different than he was when I first met him. I hope I can see him when he’s not crushed by fear sometime soon.)

HARUKO: Yumi-san is right. We just need to believe in each other… that’s the only way we can survive this trial

ISAMU: [crossing arms] _That ain’t it, Kamiki-san._

ISAMU: You ain’t gonna get nowhere pretendin’ that we gotta believe in each other for this. If we just take everything each other says at face value, then we’re totally done fer. [draws a line across his throat]

YUMI: [folds hands] You could say the same thing for doubt, Ryuuzaki-sama.

ISAMU: … [exhales.]

CONNOR: Yeah… we gotta doubt and trust at the same time, going too far in one way… that might tip the balance too far, y’know?

SULLY: [touches chin] Ah, the Prisoner’s Dilemma at it’s finest.

NAOKI: That is not even vaguely what this is.

SULLY: It is a dilemma, and we’re being held prisoner by a _dān sè xióng._ Checkmate, Kurosawa-san~

NAOKI: I… [gives up halfway through and just chuckles]

**Haruko, at this point, begins trying to gather everyone’s feelings about the incoming trial.**

\----

NOELLE: … [crosses arms] This fuckin’ sucks.

HARUKO: Concurred.

HARUKO: (Iwanami-san… she’s so quiet. It must be because of that letter…)

HARUKO: (Ou-san, what were you going to tell her? Why did you even give her that letter…? There’s so much I don’t understand…)

\----

ISAMU: I still stand by what I said, Kamiki-san. I ain’t gonna let you guys just believe every word outta someone’s mouth… we’re as good as dead if we don’t suspect anyone.

HARUKO: [looks away] I know, but… like I said, suspecting baselessly is just as damning.

ISAMU: [rubs neck] Once we suspect enough, we’ll get the killer. Throwin’ shit at the fan until it sticks, y’know?

HARUKO: [exasperated] T-there’s a reason shit hitting the fan is bad, Ryuuzaki-san… 

\----

AI: … 

HARUKO: … 

AI: …

HARUKO: …

HARUKO: Erm, Imada-san?

AI: Hn???

HARUKO: Imada-san, did you find anything that you might share at the trial?

AI: I-I guess… n-not much else aside from what I told you before… 

AI: A-as far as I can tell, the autopsy is accurate… But s-something about it’s bothering me…

HARUKO: That’s fine, Imada-san, thank you for your cooperation.

AI: [pulls hood down over head] Whatever… 

HARUKO: (I hope she’s okay… Imada-san seems like such a fragile person. For some reason, I want to give her a hug.)

\----

SULLY: Kamiki-san! Our grand _stiúrthóir!_ How did your investigation go, well, I take it?

HARUKO: I guess? I’m not sure what the things I found… _mean,_ t-though.

SULLY: [plays with earrings] Not to worry, kitten, your job is done. People much smarter than you, like Kurosawa-san, can work with whatever evidence you give them; most of what we needed help with was _just_ what you did.

HARUKO: Mm. I just wish I knew what I was doing… 

SULLY: [smiling] We all wish that, Kamiki-san.

HARUKO: (It’s taken me so long to notice… just how little Sully-san’s smile reaches her eyes.)

\----

SHIGERU: Are you holding up well, Kamiki-san?

HARUKO: [blankly] I’m holding.

SHIGERU: [exhales,] Same here. God, I won’t say I thought no one would break, but… [runs a hand through his hair] I-I don’t think I ever could have expected something like… _that._

HARUKO: … 

SHIGERU: [nods solemnly] After this trial, I’d be willing to talk. If you want to, obviously.

HARUKO: … 

HARUKO: ( ………… _She …… she looked so pale.)_

\----

ZENKO: [looking into a pocket mirror, checking her face out from different angles]

HARUKO: I-is now really the time?

ZENKO: [grimace] The time for what? _Beauty?_

HARUKO: Of course that’s what I’m talking about, Higuchi-san. I really don’t think now is a good time to worry about how you look… 

ZENKO: Hah, yeah, no, you have no idea how us girls work, Kamiki-chan.

HARUKO: I’m a girl too?

ZENKO: [not paying attention] Yeah, sure, let's go with that.

HARUKO: (I don’t think I’ll ever understand someone like Higuchi-san… how is she so complicit in her immorality? Doesn’t she feel ashamed of herself?)

\----

YOSHIJIROU: Yo, Haru-kun, don’t pay too much attention to Isamu-kun.

HARUKO: Uh, I appreciate the sentiment, but even I have to admit he has a point.

YOSHIJIROU: Naw, I dunno nothin’ about that, I just think he gets moody when it’s not a cheat day. I’ll make him some chankonabe when this is all done and he’ll be like, a hundred percent better!

HARUKO: [smiles] I forgot you two know each other… wait, chankonabe? Like, the kind sumo wrestlers eat to get bigger? And you can _make_ it? L-like, by yourself?

YOSHIJIROU: What? More weight is always better in my book! Plus, rikishi are cool! I-I ain’t one of ‘em, though!

HARUKO: (Maybe Ryuuzaki-san would be better off staying moody… but I’d be lying if I said that Tachibana-san’s optimism isn’t infectious)

YOSHIJIROU: [looking blankly past HARUKO] … [breathes in, and out.]

HARUKO: (But even someone like him is starting to feel the effects of this killing game.) 

\----

KAORU: H-Haruko-san! We… we’re gonna make it, right?

HARUKO: … [twirls her fingers together] Of course we are, Teruya-san.

KAORU: [dramatic sigh of relief,] Okay… th-thank you, Haruko-san, that made me feel a lot better… 

KAORU: With your help, I-I think we can do anything we put our mind to!

HARUKO: [nods.] (I wonder… why Teruya-san decided to latch onto me, in particular. Maybe it’s because we woke up in the same place, or because we searched together, or something like that… but there are so many other people he could have taken a liking to. I still don’t know why he chose me.)

KAORU: … I-I mean, as long as those s-swollen brutes don’t do anything too stupid…

HARUKO: (Ah… at least I know why he didn't pick those two.)

\----

SOO-MIN: Wassuuuup, Kamiki-chan!

HARUKO: … You can stop doing that now.

SOO-MIN: [face falls] Ugh, of course _you_ would say that. You never have feelings about, like, anything, ever.

HARUKO: I-I feel plenty!

SOO-MIN: Ah yes, one of Haruko Kamiki’s two emotions: offense.

HARUKO: ……… What’s my other emotion?

SOO-MIN: [crosses arms, thoughtful pose] Concern.

HARUKO: (Crap, that checks out!)

HARUKO: … You don’t have to hide how you really feel, Cho-san.

SOO-MIN: [suddenly serious] Like hell am I letting you guys give up. A life where no one’s smiling isn’t a life at all, no way no how.

HARUKO: …! I-I see! (Cho-san… what kind of life have you had…?)

\----

XIAOLU: Your hat’s on backwards.

HARUKO: Huh? [tries to adjust it, but it’s not even vaguely on backwards]

HARUKO: … Ren-san.

XIAOLU: [smiling] Gotta keep you on your toes, Kamiki. If someone tries to bisect you with an axe, at least you know your corpse won’t look like a ruffian’s.

HARUKO: W-what the hell is that supposed to mean?!

XIAOLU: Nothing. Words are just different ways we breathe, Kamiki-chan.

HARUKO: (I won’t get anything out of Ren-san, I can tell.)

\----

YUMI: Haruko-sama… are you feeling alright? You look a bit pale.

HARUKO: I-I could say the same to you.

YUMI: … [chuckles,] I suppose you’re right. I really don’t have any room to talk.

HARUKO: (I’ve never seen Yumi-san look this resigned before… she’s always tried to stay strong for us, but seeing her look this way… it almost sucks the hope out of my body.)

HARUKO: Y-Yumi-san… 

YUMI: … [lets out a small breath.]

\----

NAOKI: Kamiki-san, please don’t tell me everyone’s expecting me to solve this?

HARUKO: [blinks] Well. Um. I can’t. I-I was honestly expecting you to lead the discussion… 

NAOKI: I-I’m not a crime solver, Kamiki-san! I’m a motivation expert!

NAOKI: I know _why_ people kill, not _how!_ And I already know why the killer did it, so that’s not exactly helpful right now!

HARUKO: Why did the killer--

NAOKI: [looks at her _really hard.]_

HARUKO: I see your point.

HARUKO: … This is gonna be harder than we think it is, isn’t it.

NAOKI: Next time we see each other we’ll both be in Hell, Kamiki-san.

HARUKO: Agreed.

\----

CONNOR: … 

HARUKO: Connor-san, you seem anxious. 

CONNOR: Oh I _seem_ anxious? N-no dip I seem anxious! I might _die_ soon, Kamiki-san! If we don’t figure out who killed Ou, then, all of us are screwed!

HARUKO: … That was probably a stupid observation. Sorry about that.

CONNOR: [plays with headband] It’s fine… this situation is just, uh, _incredibly fucking stressful._

HARUKO: … Ah. I see you picked up less polite keigo.

CONNOR: [chuckles,] Just for this, honestly.

\----

MIZUKI: Kamiki-san… I know you can do this.

HARUKO: Er, thanks? W-what brought that on?

MIZUKI: [glances away, hands folded] Well… I was just thinking. You’re our best chance at getting out of here, Kamiki-san.

MIZUKI: You’re honest, intelligent, and very notatious… if there’s any hope of us surviving this, it’s you.

HARUKO: [blushing furiously] Thank you?! 

HARUKO: I-I have no idea what to say… I just hope I live up to your expectations… you always see the best in people, Satou-san.

MIZUKI: [smiling ever-so-slightly] Thank you. I have no idea where I’d be if I didn’t.

HARUKO: (... Satou-san…?)

\---

**After some time, a voice rings out.**

MONOKUMA: HELLOOOO!

SOO-MIN: GAH!? W-what the hell!?

MONOKUMA: Sorry to keep y’all waitin’, I had some business to attend to with Former US President, Grimes!

NOELLE: CUT THE SHIT, MONOKUMA!! Ain’t you not s’posed to tell lies!?

MONOKUMA: [tilts head] Huh? When did I say that?

NOELLE: [brings out phone] In yer own rules, you said you wouldn’t lie to us!

MONOKUMA: Oh, I guess I did! That’s just about important stuff though, I can make as many jokes as I like! I’m not gonna let politeness hamper my style!

MONOKUMA: [harumph] Either way, that’s beside the point! The trial’s just about ready to start!

HARUKO: …

**A heavy silence falls over the crowd.**

MONOKUMA: Aw, what’s wrong? You all got suuuper quiet for some reason.

MONOKUMA: [pshaw pose] … But I don’t actually care, so whatever! You guys’ feelings ain’t as important as the task at hand, so whatever!

MONOKUMA: STAGE MOVEMENT, ACTIVATE!!

**On cue, a grinding sound starts coming from the stage as it moves away from the crowd. As it moves further away, a large, dark-gray square in the ground is revealed. Before this moment, it was apparently hidden underneath the stage. Quickly the identity of this gray square is revealed as it pops up from the ground while the stage is finishing up.**

YOSHIJIROU: ‘Zat an elevator?

MIZUKI: Ahh, looks like it… I guess we’ll be doing this underground… 

SOO-MIN: What kind of tropical island has an elevator smack in the middle?

XIAOLU: What kind of elevator has a _stage_ on top of it?

ISAMU: Gentrification is friggin’ wild, y’all.

MONOKUMA: Listen up, everyone! Here’s how this is gonna work!

MONOKUMA: You’re gonna go into this elevator, and that’ll take you to the **trial grounds.** After that, I’ll re-explain the rules, and you’ll go into a discussion!

MONOKUMA: You got all that? Good, now get in!

HARUKO: (… I guess we should listen to him…)

**Haruko and the other students funnel into the elevator. After the last student gets in, the door shuts with a slight ‘ding’ and a low humming can be heard all around them.**

HARUKO: (Tae Ou… her death is why we’re being forced to do this trial, under the threat of our secrets being revealed… but if Kurosawa-san is right, then won’t our secrets be revealed anyway? Isn’t this murder based on misunderstanding…?)

HARUKO: (With each broken will, our numbers will dwindle.)

HARUKO: (With each loss, our hearts are pushed further and further… into their breaking points.)

HARUKO: (A broken mind, an empty body… how long will it take… for us destroy that cycle)

HARUKO: (Why would someone do this, who has brought us here… That doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is who killed Tae Ou…)

HARUKO: (But, even still, there’s one thought lingering in my mind above all the others…)

HARUKO: (How many of us… will have to die?)

[ ding ! ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  ****
> 
> **......................................................................................................................**
> 
> **You've Picked Up All The Pieces You Could.**
> 
> **Now What Will You Make of This Incident?**  
>   
> ......................................................................................................................  
>   
> 
> 
> 1\. Monokuma File #.01  
> The victim is Tae Ou, who was discovered in the Woodland Cabin at 8:04 AM.  
> Most probably, the cause of death is exsanguination.  
> The victim died around 7:00 AM.
> 
> >2\. Tae's Body  
> It looks like Tae was killed with one slit to the throat. The weapon is "probably a common knife." She was found under the floorboards in a cabin in the woods, on top of a tarp. Ai says there's something "off" about it.
> 
> >3\. Body Discovery Announcement  
> The body discovery announcement plays when 3 people discover a body. Shigeru was the one to trigger it this time, and apparently, the killer didn't count this time.
> 
> >4\. Woodland Cabin / Floorboards  
> Where the body was discovered, underneath the floorboards. There's no way to get under there aside from pulling the floorboards out, which is presumably how Tae's killer got her under there.
> 
> >5\. Floral Tarp  
> Tae's body was placed on top of a floral tarp.
> 
> >6\. Mizuki's Account  
> Mizuki says that the floral tarp on her cart was stolen around 6:45 AM yesterday, and that the culprit knocked over some baskets she had placed on top. Shigeru backs up this claim, since he was up around the same time as well.
> 
> >7.Mizuki's Sweets Cart  
> Every day, starting early in the morning, Mizuki pushes around a cart full of sweets for people to eat. 
> 
> >8\. Coffee Machine  
> There's a K-Cup coffee machine in Tae's cabin. Zenko thinks that the water in it was DEFINITELY drugged.
> 
> >9\. GHB  
> Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid is a hypnotic drug that incapacitates someone after about fifteen minutes, (probably less in higher doses,) putting them to sleep. Zenko says that it tastes very salty, and that the water in Tae's coffee machine was practically oceanic.
> 
> >10\. Spilled Coffee  
> There's a mug of spilled coffee on Tae's floor, that looks like it's staining the carpet. It's dried by now.
> 
> >11\. Monokuma's Account  
> Monokuma unlocked every cabin door for the investigation... aside from Tae's.
> 
> >12\. Xiaolu's Account  
> Mizuki pushed her cart around from 6:30 to 7:00, when she went to breakfast. This has been going on since the day after the game started, and there haven't been any fluctuations. Xiaolu notes that, since their cabin is on the boy's side, they can't see much of what's going on on the girl's side.
> 
> >13\. Beach Note  
> On the beach, Haruko finds a note.  
> "Dear Noelle Iwanami,  
> Please visit me at 11 AM tomorrow. I'll be in a cabin in the woods. There's a trail if you get deep enough in, if you follow it, you should be fine.  
> -Love, Tae."
> 
>   
>    
>  **......................................................................................................................**
> 
> **Who Killed Entity .01? [ TAE OU ]**  
>  https://www.strawpoll.me/19845009 


	8. [1-5] [Trial] What Remains to be Seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trial Ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some unsanitary language and talk of drugs (ie. GHB, rohypnol) but not much other than that, I think.

**The trial room is decorated classically, blue walls and red curtains surround the students with a ceiling high enough to induce a bit of vertigo. More interesting than that, though, there are stained glass windows that seemingly let you look out into nowhere above the curtained hallways and a large, flat-screen monitor in each corner of the room.**

ZENKO: Christ on a fucking bicycle, what the hell is this shithole?!

MIZUKI: Ah… so our captors even went through the trouble of making a trial room…

NAOKI: [incredulous smile] Putting so much effort into something that absolutely no one’s going to enjoy actually sounds pretty relatable.

SOO-MIN: Ayyy! [finger guns]

CONNOR: [scratches back of head] Ah, shouldn’t you all take this a little more seriously?

SOO-MIN: If I take this seriously, that means it’s _won,_ Connor-kun! That’s like, teenager rule number one! Take notes!

MONOKUMA: [bored expression] Heeey, If you all would quit babbling for a second, I’ve got some rules to re-explain!

**At the far end of the room there’s a throne with its seat high above the ground, around four and a half feet at least. Monokuma’s plush body sits in it with his legs dangling aimlessly off of it.**

MONOKUMA: Alright, everyone, that’s the spirit! Now, all you gotta do is make your way to the assigned seat with your number on it. You all remember your numbers, riiiiight? Taking someone else’s spot would be seriously omega rude, so you should avoid that outcome if you can!

MONOKUMA: … But if you did actually forget, it should be on your MonoPhone.

HARUKO: (That’s right, the numbers… I don’t know why they’re so important. I guess they’re just an easy method of organization… it doesn’t matter that much, all I need to know is that my number is sixteen.)

HARUKO: (Number sixteen should beeee… over here!)

HARUKO: (Joy! I can follow instructions!)

**Haruko’s celebration is cut short when she looks to her left.**

HARUKO: W-what the hell?

YUMI: [covers mouth] O-oh, dear… 

SULLY: Hm… _Geschmacklos._

**There’s a portrait of Tae put up on a stand in the number one spot, presumably where she would have been if she’d survived. The portrait is entirely in black and white, the only color in it being a bloody crown that floats above her head.**

NOELLE: Monokuma! What the hell is that thing?! You makin’ fun of her even after she’s dead!? I’ll kill you!!

MONOKUMA: You won’t.

NOELLE: [suddenly freezes up] …!

MONOKUMA: The Trial Portrait is an integral part of any killing game, you guys, seriously? What are you kids even learning in History class nowadays!?

MONOKUMA: By placing their portrait in the trial grounds, their spirit can experience this glorious trial via proxy! In the words of my father, “Friendship penetrates even death’s barrier!” I’d feel terrible if anyone missed out, y’know.

ZENKO: [grimace] That is… incredibly screwed up? I’m honestly kind of impressed.

SHIGERU: I-I don’t see why that’d be impressive… 

MONOKUMA: Whatever your thoughts are on me-- they don’t matter! The only thing that matters right now are the blackened, and the spotless.

MONOKUMA: Ah, I totally forgot, a reminder is probably in order!

MONOKUMA: Eh ehm, eh ehm, [cough]. [gargles some water] [spits it away]

MONOKUMA: The rules are as follows! Among you, there is one blackened student, who committed murder, and fourteen spotless students, who didn’t.

MONOKUMA: As the spotless, your goal is to find the blackened and select them via majority vote. If you happen to be the blackened, your goal is to _not_ get selected.

MONOKUMA: If a spotless student is selected as the blackened, then every spotless student will be punished by execution, and the killing game will end with the blackened as the winner. If the blackened is selected, only the blackened will be punished, and the game will continue!

MONOKUMA: [jovial] Basically, you gotta find out who put Tae Ou on the chopping block and vote for ‘em, or you die! Simple enough?

YOSHIJIROU: [raises his hand] Uh, I have a question.

MONOKUMA: Hm? What is it, Lard-for-brains?

YOSHIJIROU: [crosses arms] Well, I was like, uh, wonderin’... how much time do we got? Y’know, like, to figure out who did it?

MONOKUMA: Until I get bored.

NAOKI: [dripping with sarcasm] How unbelievably charitable of you, _Monokuma-sama._

MONOKUMA: [pshaw] I know, right? You guys tooootally lucked out with me as your divine leader-- headmaster? I dunno, I forgot the gimmick already! Whatever, all that matters is that I’m in charge and you’re not!

MONOKUMA: Buuuut that’s about it. The floor is y’all bastard’s now!

HARUKO: (So, that’s it… now we just have to figure out who killed Ou-san in this trial… and sacrifice her killer.)

HARUKO: (Ou-san… you were my friend, but… I didn’t really know that much about you, to be honest. I was looking forward to it… getting to learn more about who you are. But that can’t happen anymore, now can it?)

HARUKO: (That’s why… whoever took that away from me, I’ll be okay with sacrificing them. For the good of everyone else…)

HARUKO: (I’m going to get through this class trial!)

AI: S-so the Class Trial started. Tha-at’s great, but… wh-where are we even supposed to start?

SULLY: [fiddles with earrings] _Je suis d'accord._ It feels like there’s so much to talk about, I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to one subject, hoho!

SHIGERU: [rubs back of neck] So, how about we just start with how she died? That doesn’t seem like a half-bad stepping stone, since it’s pretty obvious.

NOELLE: Fine by me! Let’s crack this case open like a walnut with scoliosis!

**> Tae’s Body** **  
****> Monokuma File #.01**

NOELLE: **Ou-chan is the one who got killed** , that’s for sure!

KAORU: You di-didn’t have to tell us, brute… 

{teruya…}

YUMI: And Ou-sama died **in the Woodland Cabin…**

{ _sama?}_

ISAMU: But are we sure about that?

ZENKO: Um, are you _not?_

ZENKO: Your head must be full of smoke if you can’t figure that out,

{where’s your proof?!}

ZENKO: There’s **no way she could have died anywhere else!**

YOSHIJIROU: Yup yup!

YOSHIJIROU: Whoever killed her must have **stabbed her in the chest a bunch** or somethin’!

HARUKO: (Wait, there’s something totally off with Tachibana-san’s statement… I just need to refute that, and…)

**> [“stabbed her in the chest”] vs. [Tae’s Body]**

**You’ve got that wrong!**

HARUKO: Tachibana-san, I think there’s a hole in what you just said.

YOSHIJIROU: [hands on hips] Huh? How come?

HARUKO: Well, Ou-san’s body only had one wound… and it was on her _neck,_ not her chest. Plus, instead of a “stab”, it was more of a “slit.” I’m honestly surprised you could forget.

YOSHIJIROU: Oh! Uh, hehe, sorry, I… didn’t notice that, I guess.

AI: How did you _not_ n-notice it?! You brought her body up from the floorboards! I even watched you do it!

YOSHIJIROU: HEY! Don’t go blamin’ me fer that, I did that whole thing with my eyes closed! I was breathin’ through my mouth too, so my oxygen flow was prolly all sortsa screwed up, y’know?!

KAORU: Tha-at’s true, his nostrils seem bigger than his mouth…

YOSHIJIROU: … Dude, I’m right next to you.

SULLY: Whatever Yoshijirou-san’s problem is, we’ve all at least established that Ou-sama died via a slit throat. [she drags her finger across her throat for emphasis]

SOO-MIN: Yeah, whatever, what’s next? I’m gettin’ antsy whenever we aren’t discussing something!

SHIGERU: What I’m concerned about is why she was in the cabin… That’s really far from the rest of us, y’know?

HARUKO: Ah! I actually have an answer for that!

→ [A] She was there the whole time.  
→ [B] She was brought there.

**[B]**

HARUKO: Ou-san was brought to the Woodland Cabin, and she was probably killed there too.

MIZUKI: Urm, what do you mean “brought?” Wasn’t she just in the cabin when the killer decided to attack?

HARUKO: I don’t think so. Whoever killed Ou-san definitely brought her to the cabin, because…

**> [ PRESENT : GHB ]**

HARUKO: The culprit drugged her.

ISAMU: [crossing arms] Are you just pullin’ that outta yer ass or what?

HARUKO: Wh-what? No, I checked out her cabin and the water in her coffee machine was pretty obviously altered…

HARUKO: [confident] Unless Ou-san poured salt in her coffee, then I’m absolutely sure that it was altered. One of the vital warning signs for GHB is a salty taste, too.

ZENKO: Uh, yeah, and we’re goddamn lucky the killer used GHB! Rohypnol is basically undetectable, so I wouldn’t have figured out shit if they chose that!

XIAOLU: Why are you talking like you solved it? Kamiki was the one who did all the work.

HARUKO: N-no, Ren-san, Higuchi-san and I actually teamed up for this investigation… if anything, she’s the one deserving of thanks.

**Haruko looks towards Zenko, who has yet another grimace on her face. As if Haruko had just said something incredibly insulting towards someone’s mother, that mother’s mother, and their collective dog.**

ZENKO: Yeah, whatever.

HARUKO: ( _Seriously, what did I even do._ )

ISAMU: Woahwoahwoah, hang on y’all, you think we can just take that at face value?!

SOO-MIN: Uh, yeah? Duh?

ISAMU: That ain’t right! We gotta talk about this, man!

NAOKI: [pushes up glasses] Alright. Let’s discuss it, then-- The Curious Case of Tae Ou and her Sleepytime Coffee.

**> Coffee Machine**   
**> Spilled Coffee**

ISAMU: You can’t go automatically assumin’ everything that tastes salty is roofied!

ISAMU: Cuz y’know what else tastes salty? Hmmm, oh, right, **salt!**

SHIGERU: Ryuuzaki-kun has a point… 

SHIGERU: Just because it tasted like salt, doesn’t mean it was drugged… 

{oo! One time someone told me to find onea those!}

SHIGERU: It could be a **red herring** set up by the killer.

NAOKI: It wouldn’t exactly be hard to do, table salt is way more common than GHB.

  
YUMI: And even if it was drugged, **there’s no way to tell if it affected Ou-sama** … 

HARUKO: (I’m absolutely positive that the killer drugged Ou-san’s Keurig… I just need to think: what would be a result of getting drugged?)

**> [there’s no way to tell if it affected Ou-sama] vs. [Spilled Coffee]**

**You’ve got that wrong!**

HARUKO: Yumi-san, there’s definitely something that’d be strange if Ou-san _wasn’t_ drugged.

YUMI: [gasps,] How was I the wrong one that time?! The rest of them are so… 

ISAMU: Fi-finish insulting me when Kamiki-san’s done her explanation-- what the hell do you mean “something that’d be strange?”

HARUKO: [pulls out phone] In Ou-san’s room, there was a cup on the floor with a stain around it. If she wasn’t drugged, I don’t know why it would be there.

SOO-MIN: [makes visor with hand] Jeez, dude, she’s even got it on the TV screen, you’re totally screwed.

**Haruko looks up to see an image of the coffee cup with a stain around it on the monitor. Looking around the room, the same image is on** **_every_ ** **other monitor. Worryingly, the image isn’t even one that she took. She presses on, however.**

ISAMU: So, you don’t think she could just… spill some coffee? I know you look up to ‘er and all, but she’s still a human person!

HARUKO: I could accept that… if the cup wasn’t there too.

HARUKO: This cup looks like it was dropped halfway through being drunk and just completely left there. If it was dropped in a struggle with the killer, there’d be more damage to the rest of the room, and if she’d dropped it normally, why didn’t she bother picking up the cup?

HARUKO: [confident] With all this in mind, there’s nothing I can think of that would fit better than GHB. Ou-san finished half the glass when the drug began to effect her, she fell down, and then the killer started to bring her to the woodland cabin.

ISAMU: Guh…!

ISAMU: [nervous] That’s… pretty solid, I gotta admit… 

AI: I mean… I-I guess that’s convincing, fo-for something you just made up on the spot… 

AI: You, K-Kamiki!  
Do you have anything more solid to back this up!?

HARUKO: (“Anything more solid”...? I think so, yeah.)

**> [ PRESENT : Monokuma File #.01 ]**

HARUKO: The Monokuma file…!

CONNOR: Ah… Kamiki-san, how does that prove your point?

HARUKO: [fiddles with hat] Oh… I thought it was obvious… 

HARUKO: Everyone, could you take a look at the Monokuma file again?

_[Monokuma File #.01_

_The victim is Tae Ou, who was discovered in the Woodland Cabin at 8:04 AM._

_Most probably, the cause of death is exsanguination._

_The victim died around 7:00 AM.]_

AI: Um, yeah… It’s more-or-less accurate, a-at least for the cause of death.

MIZUKI: ... Actually, now that I’m reading this again… isn’t it strange?

KAORU: [hugs plushie] Huh? Wh-what’s strange about it?

MIZUKI: I’ve never read one of these before, so I don’t know how they’re written… but… 

MIZUKI: Shouldn’t an autopsy sound more… sure of itself, when the cause of death is so obvious?

MONOKUMA: [enraged] Heeeyy!! Don’t make fun of me! I was bullied as a child, y’know! My backstory is way more tragic-er than yours, river spirit!

MIZUKI: … [exasperated] Why do I actually want to apologize…?

HARUKO: Uh, ignoring… _him,_ that’s actually just what I’m talking about, Satou-san.

HARUKO: [points somewhat up] The autopsy has absolutely no reason to be so unsure of itself… unless, well, it _does._

HARUKO: If the killer put enough GHB in there… it’s totally possible she died of an overdose rather than a slit throat.

SOO-MIN: WHAT THE HEEEEEELL?!

SOO-MIN: That’s insane!! How could the killer put _that_ much GHB in there!? Isn’t it kind of implausible that it killed her before they _slit her throat!?_

SOO-MIN: I mean, the gap can’t be that big, right? Like, thirty minutes or so?

HARUKO: That’s why it says “Most probably.” She was probably killed via blood loss, but… it’s still possible that overdosing on GHB contributed something.

SOO-MIN: But… I mean… it was diluted with water and put through a friggin’ coffee machine, man, how much can you get from that?

HARUKO: Not quite enough to kill her, I don’t think, but enough to where it could have contributed to her death…

MIZUKI: Mm… I see… so Ou-chan’s autopsy was influenced by the drugs she’d ingested… that makes sense.

ISAMU: [rubs head] Jeez… maybe playin’ devil’s advocate is a dumber plan than I thought it’d be.

AI: I-I mean, obviously, y-you’re just stalling things-- and it’s ma-making you look suspicious!

ISAMU: Wait, what?! Nowanowaynoway, I’m not the killer-- I don’t have a killerous bone in my whole body!

HARUKO: [blatantly ignoring them] Uh, now that that’s established… what now?

SULLY: [hands folded] That _was_ a large _hakbang,_ I’ll admit, but I can’t choose… there are so many mysteries that remain unanswered. We’ll never be able to decide, the magnitude of questions that we could pick are just--

MIZUKI: Uh, I have a question, actually.

SHIGERU: Shoot, Mizuki-san.

MIZUKI: I was just wondering… how does my tarp fit into all of this?

KAORU: Your… tarp?

  
MIZUKI: Yesterday, it got stolen, and today, Ou-chan’s body was on top of it… That’s a big connection, right?

YUMI: So… you’re asking what it has to do with the case?

HARUKO: (What the tarp has to do with the case, huh? From my knowledge it should be… )

→ [A] The tarp covered the killer.

→ [B] The tarp is the murder weapon.

**[A]**

HARUKO: As far as I know, the tarp was probably used to cover the killer.

NAOKI: What? Wouldn’t it be easier to carry the body with it?

HARUKO: That could have happened as well, but I think the killer used it pretty specifically…

HARUKO: [thinking pose] In order to make sure no blood got on them, they used the tarp while they were slitting Ou-san’s throat. If anyone has an objection to that, then I’ll listen.

MIZUKI: Ah… that makes sense. They stole it so they could kill someone, then… I should have investigated it… 

KAORU: W-wait, hold on, why didn’t the killer just use th-their own bedsheet? They wouldn’t h-have to steal anything like that, a-and it’d be a lot easier…

YOSHIJIROU: Little dude, sometimes, people’re just born with a bad soul, an’ they gotta do bad things to get that badness outta their bodies, y’know?

KAORU: [grimace] Y-you be quiet, brute.

SHIGERU: I think that’s pretty obvious, actually. If a bedsheet was found below the body, I can imagine everyone gathering up and searching cabins to find out whose it was…

SHIGERU: Plus, I’d assume not everyone has the same bedsheet. If it pointed to them, there’s no way the killer would have used it.

KAORU: O-oh… I guess that makes sense… 

XIAOLU: [adjusts glasses] I see, I see… so we’ve cracked this case down the middle already, yeah?

XIAOLU: In that case, I’ve already scoped out the culprit.

XIAOLU: **Haruko Kamiki,** you’re the one who killed Ou, right?

HARUKO: [extremely shocked] W-what!?

YUMI: [gasp!] It can’t be-- was it truly Haruko-sama?!

HARUKO: Of course it wasn’t!!

YOSHIJIROU: Ohhh, I guess it wasn’t then!

XIAOLU: [anime glasses] Thou shant believe doth wordse of a Killeur, Tachibana. 

XIAOLU: I mean, it’s obvious when you really think about it… 

**> Monokuma File #.01**

**> Xiaolu’s Account**

XIAOLU: Kamiki is **definitely the blackened!**

{so certain, so certain!}

XIAOLU: She used her connection with Ou…

XIAOLU: And then **killed her with it.**

SHIGERU: Would Kamiki-san be capable of such cutthroat behavior…?

{hell naw!}

XIAOLU: Normally, I doubt it, but in this situation… 

XIAOLU: **Anyone can kill,** no matter what kind of person they are.

XIAOLU: Kamiki drugged Ou, brought her to the cabin, where she’d stored the tarp…

XIAOLU: Then **slit her throat and stored her under the floorboards!**

{w-whaaaaaaat?!?}

ZENKO: [disturbed] Could… Kamiki-chan really have done that?

XIAOLU: Absolutely.

XIAOLU: She has **no alibi,** after all!

HARUKO: (Crap! If I don’t figure out a weak point, then everyone’s gonna think I killed her! I didn’t kill her at all!)

HARUKO: (Okay, all I need to do is find a reason I couldn’t have killed her… and then use that!)

**> [“no alibi”] vs. [Monokuma File #.01]**

**You’ve got that wrong!**

HARUKO: That’s completely impossible and you know it!

HARUKO: There’s no way I could have killed her at 7 AM… if I was somewhere else at the exact same time!

XIAOLU: [blinks] … Huh?

HARUKO: While the murder was occuring today, I was at breakfast, so I couldn’t have killed Ou-san, no matter what you think!

XIAOLU: Y’know, her cause of death was **exsanguination,** it’s pretty possible you slit her throat earlier than 7 and just got there on time while she was bleeding out.

AI: Y-yeah, no way… 

AI: [pulls hood over face] B-both of Ou’s carotid arteries were cut… sh-she should have been dead within a m-minute.

AI: Unless K-Kamiki killed her and hid the body, and g-got to breakfast all in one minute, t-then her being the killer is basically impossible… 

XIAOLU: ……………………… 

HARUKO: (Yes! Yes! We got them! I can’t be the killer, I have an alibi! Go me!)

XIAOLU: Meh, whatever, I was kinda thinkin’ that anyway.

HARUKO: [incredulous] W… What… 

XIAOLU: I mean, it’s pretty obvious you aren’t the killer. Like, duh, of course not… 

XIAOLU: [pushes up glasses] But I’d rather know that for sure than just guess. Your rebuttal confirmed that you’re not suspicious, simple as that.

NAOKI: That’s… [sighs,] I really hate that that’s actually sound reasoning?

CONNOR: Still, what a weird way to go about that… It's actually sort of worrying.

ZENKO: Wait, then, like, who the hell should we be suspecting?!

ZENKO: [crosses arms sassily] If the people who got to breakfast on time are cleared, then… that rules out a _lot_ of people!

NOELLE: So that means… [grits teeth] the killer didn’t show up?

NAOKI: No, not necessarily… 

NAOKI: [straightens up posture] People who didn’t show up to breakfast probably weren’t worried about looking suspicious, so, while they should still be considered, they’re not as likely.

NAOKI: If anyone, the killer is probably someone who _did_ arrive, but was late. That way, they could ease any suspicion they could have gathered.

NAOKI: [thoughtful] They’d probably have to make some kind of excuse, too… 

NOELLE: Wait, so, who’d that be?

SOO-MIN: It definitely wouldn’t be Kamiki-san-- I saw her, and she was like, two-hundred percent there! Maybe even five-hundred!

YOSHIJIROU: Hmmm… I dunno, who was payin’ attention this mornin’?

YOSHIJIROU: I know fer sure I wasn’t! If I told y’all how much I was focusin’ on my bagels, then I bet like, twenny bucks Kaoru-kun would make a fat joke!

KAORU: … 

SULLY: [ponders] Hmmm… Someone who was late, but still arrived, and then made an excuse… _verdächtig._

**For some reason, Haruko feels the narrowing of eyes all around the room. She looks around for the source. The answer, however, is to her right.**

SULLY: Cho-kun, does that not sound familiar?

SOO-MIN: Aha… what? What-- what are you talking about?

XIAOLU: Oh, I see, since he got there at around 7:15, he could have had time to murder Ou.

SOO-MIN: [starting to worry] Y-you guys aren’t making any sense, there’s no way I could--

YUMI: [looks right at him] You were rather late, weren’t you, Cho-sama?

SOO-MIN: [stunned into silence] ……………………… 

SOO-MIN: Hey… hey, what’s going on? Why are you all looking at me like that?

SOO-MIN: Hey!! Answer me! Tell me what’s happening!!

XIAOLU: You’re being **accused,** Cho.  
That’s really all there is to it.

SOO-MIN: Ghk--!!

**Xiaolu’s high, almost childish voice lingers in the courtroom’s mind. Haruko just stares at them as her thoughts buzz in her head.**

HARUKO: W-wait, seriously? Cho-san could have…?

HARUKO: (… I need to look closer. I need to look at everything that’s happened in this case, and then… I’ll draw my conclusion!)

**> Floral Tarp**

SOO-MIN: No way, no way, no way!!

{that’s gotta be the case!}

SOO-MIN: There’s no way you’re thinking **_I_ ** **killed Ou-san!!**

{quit begging!}

XIAOLU: [shrugs] I mean, who knows if it’ll stick, but right now, you’re the most likely suspect.

YUMI: The fact is, that with the time of death, your tardiness could be explained by, well, murder… 

YUMI: With **Ou-sama’s schedule** taken into account, arriving fifteen minutes after seven isn’t unimaginable.

MIZUKI: **…**

SOO-MIN: HEY! None of this makes any sense!

SOO-MIN: You’re saying **I woke up at 7** , drugged Ou-san’s coffee, got her to the cabin, and killed her under the floorboards!?

SHIGERU: Well, when you put it like that… 

SHIGERU: I guess he couldn’t have killed her, huh?

HARUKO: (………………………)

HARUKO: (I can’t refute anyone with evidence this time. Maybe… I can **use their words against each other…?** )

HARUKO: (Yeah, that must be it. If I can’t refute them, I’ll have them refute each other!)

**> [“I woke up at 7”] vs. [“Ou-sama’s schedule”]**

**You’ve got that wrong!**

HARUKO: Hold on, Cho-san!

SOO-MIN: Wha-What’s up? DId they say something wrong??

HARUKO: [points] Actually, I think it’s _you_ who has something wrong, Cho-san.

HARUKO: … Because Ou-san’s schedule is entirely different than what you just described.

SOO-MIN: HUH!?

HARUKO: _Yuh_ -huh! Every day, Ou-san woke up a whole _thirty minutes_ before the morning bell rang.

SOO-MIN: Wait, but I didn’t know that-- that means I couldn’t have killed her, right?

SULLY: [catty expression] The real question is whether or not you are simply _pretending_ not to know.

SOO-MIN: [kind of losing it] A… Aaahhh… 

YOSHIJIROU: H-hang on!! This is all, like, _omega confusing!_

YOSHIJIROU: So.. Soo-min-kun could have killed Tae-kun ‘cuz of how late he was to breakfast this mornin’, right?

YOSHIJIROU: But I got a question…

YOSHIJIROU: [scratches head] Where da heck was Tae-kun killed? Under the floorboards or… not!?

HARUKO: [pondering] That’s… actually a very good point…

HARUKO: (Where was Ou-san killed?)

→ [A] Under the floorboards.  
→ [B] On the cabin’s ground floor.

**[A]**

HARUKO: I’d say it had to be **under the floorboards.** **  
**After all, even if they had the tarp, it would have been incredibly difficult to keep the cabin as blood-free as they did if she’d been killed on the ground floor.

NAOKI: That makes sense… so, going off that, the timeline of the murder would be something like…

NAOKI: [adjusts glasses] The killer wakes up sometime before 6:30 AM and drugs Ou-san’s coffee machine. Then… 

NAOKI: Hm. There’s a lot of time that’s unaccounted for. Where would they hide, assuming they didn’t leave?

ISAMU: Prolly under the bed! Those boys are spacy as hell, I’m pretty sure anyone here woulda been able to hide under there. Even us big boys! [flex]

MIZUKI: [tilts head] The… big boys?

KAORU: T-Tachibana, Ryuuzaki, and Connor, I-I guess. The-they can’t be ruled out as suspects just cuz’ t-the killer hid under the bed… 

NAOKI: [shrugging] Honestly, it doesn’t really matter _where_ they hid, as long as they had the ability to hide in general.

NAOKI: Soooo, continuing on… 

The killer hid under the bed and waited for Ou-san to drink her coffee. 

NAOKI: After she passed out from the GHB, they somehow got her to the cabin. The tarp was either stored there or brought there along with the body.

NAOKI: [checking phone] Ou-san is fairly light, but it’d still be hard to carry an unconscious body like that if you were around the same size as it… so I feel like we can rule out most of the shorties.

KAORU: So… you guys aren’t gonna accuse me…?

NAOKI: Uh, probably not? I think? Whatever, but the killer pulled some floorboards out, which probably took a while, then got underneath with Ou-san and slit her throat, ending her life relatively quickly. They didn’t get any blood on them-- which would have been odd, if they hadn’t used the tarp.

NAOKI: They laid her body on the tarp, posed it, and then crawled out to put the floorboards back in their place, therefore hiding the body.

NAOKI: After all that, they were around fifteen minutes to breakfast, so they made an excuse and arrived in order to not look suspicious.

NAOKI: [adjusts glasses] The killer had to either not show up to breakfast or be significantly late, had to be strong enough to carry Ou-san’s body. I’d say they’d be among the taller of us, but that’s not necessarily _required._

NAOKI: As of right now, the evidence points to Soo-min Cho, who is tall, and made an excuse after being significantly late to breakfast.  
How was that?

MIZUKI: ……………………………………

HARUKO: That was a good summary, and it puts a lot of aspects into perspective.

MIZUKI: [incredibly serious] There’s… there’s no way that Cho-san could have killed her.

SOO-MIN: Uh, yeah! Yeah, listen to her! How the hell could I have killed her?! You guys are just suspecting me because I was late!

CONNOR: [scratches neck] Man, being late on the day of a _murder_ is… astoundingly suspicious.

ZENKO: Uh, yeah, sure, I remain entirely unconvinced. Don’t go selling your chickens before they hatch… or whatever the hell they say.

YUMI: Erm… why is that, Higuchi-sama?

ZENKO: Like I have to tell you? I just want you all to know you’re all incredibly wrong and this will bite all of us in the ass when it’s time to vote.

XIAOLU: Kehehe… whatever, the evidence says it’s Cho-chan, so it’s probably Cho-chan. [smiles]

SOO-MIN: HEY!! Don’t decide that for yourself, you little brat! I’ll-- I’ll give all of you a piece of my mind! I couldn’t have killed her, and you’re gonna see why!

**> Woodland Cabin / Floorboards** **  
****> Mizuki’s Sweets Cart**

SOO-MIN: **I couldn’t have killed Ou-san!!**

ISAMU: Uh, dude, you just said that.

{no way,}

YOSHIJIROU: YEAH!! He **couldn’t have killed Tae-kun!!!!**

{no how!!!}

XIAOLU: [pushing up glasses] So do either of you have any evidence, or will we just have to talk over you **bohebarians**?

SOO-MIN: “Do EiThEr Of YoU hAvE eViDeNcE”-- OF COURSE I HAVE EVIDENCE!

SOO-MIN: If it’s like Kurosawa-kun said, and the killer drugged her coffee before 6:30, then…

SOO-MIN: Why would I have gotten back when I did?!

YUMI: [cold] I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean, Cho-sama.

SOO-MIN: I’m saying, if all the killer had to do was drag her to the cabin, get under the floorboards, and slit her throat… 

SOO-MIN: There’s no way in hell they’d take forty-five minutes! That’s just **too simple a task** to be as late as I was!

SULLY: My my, that is… a rather embarrassing alibi~

HARUKO: (Every party is getting desperate… each of us grasping for our lives in the ways natural to us…)

HARUKO: (I have to remain unbiased… I have to refute whoever’s in the wrong…)

**> [“too simple a task”] vs. [Woodland Cabin / Floorboards]**

**You’ve got that wrong!**

HARUKO: Too simple a task? Cho-san, I just don’t think that’s right.

SOO-MIN: Heheh… uh, what?

HARUKO: Well, there’s a certain action that the culprit absolutely had to take in order to get the body how it was… 

HARUKO: They had to pull up the floorboards, and then put them back in place when they were finished killing her.

HARUKO: I’m no carpenter, but I have a feeling that’d take some time if you wanted to do it convincingly at all…

YUMI: I’d say it would take around… say, ten minutes to pull up, and another fifteen to put back together, with how many floorboards the blackened had altered.

HARUKO: So that’s twenty-five minutes for the floorboards alone… that accounts for over half of that forty-five you’d described. Lugging Ou-san’s unconscious body through the forest… twenty sounds about right for that, I think.

HARUKO: I’m not trying to accuse you, Cho-san, but… 

HARUKO: [points dramatically] No matter what you say, with how late you were, you had enough time to drug Ou-san, get her to the cabin, pull up the floorboards, kill her, and then put them back in their place!

**YOU BIRD-BRAINED IDIOT!!**

AI: [enraged] NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

AI: K-K-K-KAMIKI, YOU HAVE IT ALL WRONG!! IT’S ALL WRONG!

HARUKO: UwaugH!?

HARUKO: (W-what the heck!?)

HARUKO: (Okay, calm down, Haruko… it looks like Imada-san is challenging you on something, all you have to do is prove her wrong. You can do this.)

**> Spilled Coffee** **  
****> Monokuma File #.01** **  
****> Tae’s Body** **  
****> Xiaolu’s Account** **  
****  
**AI:  
During this trial,  
I’ve been thinking…

T-thinking about the body…  
why it was so strange… 

I finally get it now!  
A-and, in reality… now that I know the truth… 

Ch-Cho has an alibi! A solid one!!  
No matter what you say!

**_[ Cross Swords! ]_ **

**[ ADVANCE! ]**

HARUKO: Imada-san, calm down! What are you talking about, “Now that I know the truth?”

HARUKO: I can’t listen to you if you don’t articulate yourself!

AI:

SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!!

I-I know what I’m talking about!!!

The s-smell, the w-way the body looked…

I’M ASHAMED OF MYSELF FOR  
NOT NOTICING IT SOONER!  
Th-th-the murder didn’t happen today!!  
It **happened yesterday!** **  
**Th-that’s why the body w-was so decayed!

That’s the truth!

HARUKO: (The murder… happened yesterday? That can’t… I have to prove her wrong.)

HARUKO: (Because… if it happened yesterday, then every assumption we’ve made about this case would be completely false!)

**> [“happened yesterday”] vs. [Monokuma File #.01]**

……………………………………………………………

………………………………………… 

………………… 

………

… 

HARUKO: I-I can’t prove her wrong…!!

  
ZENKO: You… _what?_

ZENKO: What the hell do you _mean_ you can’t prove her wrong?! She’s so blatantly, obviously wrong that it’s not even funny! Why can’t you refute her?!

HARUKO: The reason I can’t prove her wrong… is that…

HARUKO: She’s **not wrong!**

YOSHIJIROU: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!

HARUKO: Imada-san’s explanation is the only way everything connects!

HARUKO: Do you remember what everyone’s first reactions to the body were…?

**[FLASHBACK]**

**Shigeru’s hand stops right before he starts to turn the handle.**

SHIGERU: …………………… 

SHIGERU: Kamiki-san, you stay outside, okay?

HARUKO: [increasingly anxious] W… why?

SHIGERU: It smells awful in there, which could mean a lot of things, dead animals, predators, bad mold, whatever I just don’t think it’d be good for both of us to risk it… plus, I get a really bad feeling coming from there that I just can’t explain, and I’m sorry for that. I can’t let you go in yet, but I’ll tell you when the coast is clear, okay?

HARUKO: [nods cautiously] … 

**[END FLASHBACK]**

**[FLASHBACK]**   
  


ZENKO: [visibly disgusted] Oh dear fucking Christ, that stench!

KAORU: O-Ou… That’s… n-no, no, no… 

MIZUKI: [audibly wretches,] A-ah… 

**[END FLASHBACK]**

**[FLASHBACK]**

HARUKO: [squints] Is that… vomit? That has to be important…

MIZUKI: [awkwardly chimes in] Ah, sorry, that’s… mine.

**[END FLASHBACK]**

HARUKO: The main thing everyone seemed to notice… was the **stench.**

HARUKO: [adjusts hat] Obviously, dead bodies smell bad when you kill them, since they release their insides when their muscles stop working, and those… smell bad.

HARUKO: But the stench we dealt with was so much worse than what someone who was killed an hour ago would give off… 

SHIGERU: Wait, seriously? I thought that was just how every dead body smelled… so the thing we were actually smelling was… a rotten corpse…?

SOO-MIN: Ooohhh thank God. Thank God! I’m saved! We’re saved!

MIZUKI: [slowly smiles] … Yes. Yes we are.

HARUKO: (………… Does Satou-san…?)

HARUKO: (No, I can’t focus on that right now.)

HARUKO: Whatever the case, this case makes a whole lot more sense when you think it happened yesterday, rather than an hour ago.

CONNOR: I don’t know… that seems like a pretty big leap to me… 

CONNOR: [shrugs] I just feel like there’s a less drastic explanation for everything that’s happened, y’know?

YUMI: I’m inclined to agree with Connor-sama! Isn’t that jumping the park a little?!

AI: It’s-- It’s jumping the _shark!_ If you’re gonna b-be wrong, at least get your metaphors right!!

ZENKO: Uh, shyeah, no way, the murder happened today and that’s _final._

SOO-MIN: Hey!! Hey hey hey _HEY!!_ I just got myself an alibi, y’all, I’m not gonna let you guys make like the anti-vaxxers and deny blatant, inarguable facts!

YOSHIJIROU: Sorry, brah, but I dunno if that’s right! There’s gotta be a way you didn’t kill her _and_ it happened today!!

SOO-MIN: TACHIBANA-KUN I REALLY DON’T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT THAT.

HARUKO: (Oh no… oh no no no, this isn’t good! Not everyone’s convinced! Not good!)

ISAMU: If we’re pickin’ sides, then I gotta stick to my roots and go with the old folks-- ain’t no way Ou-san was killed anywhen but today!

SOO-MIN: Ryuuzaki, you _just_ turned twenty!

XIAOLU: [pushes up glasses] I mean, I’ve already established myself as the devil’s advocate here, why stop now? Kehehe. I’m against Kamiki.

NAOKI: [exasperated] All of you are idiots, the evidence clearly points to _yesterday._

KAORU: Y-yeah! Haruko-san is right, all of you guys n-need to shut your brutey mouths and listen up!

SULLY: [smug] I shall ‘listen up’ when someone actually has something of value to say, _chéri._ The murder happened yesterday? Feh, preposterous!

SHIGERU: Erm, needless to say, I’m with Kamiki-san.

NOELLE: ………………… 

HARUKO: I-Iwanami-san…?

NOELLE: [grits teeth] It… had to have happened today. It _had_ to.

HARUKO: [under breath] Not good… it’s like the courtroom is split in half…

MONOKUMA: _DID SOMEONE SAY “SPLIT IN HALF”?!?!_

HARUKO: GYAAAAH!?

SOO-MIN: [crosses arms] Huh… I guess the debate is pretty much half and half right now, huh? Wuzzat mean.

MONOKUMA: What it _means_ is that I get to use some of my ultra-secret-super-high-tech MINIGAME TECHNOLOGY!

MONOKUMA: You know, one time the entire government tried to raid me for my Minigame Tech-- they said they wanted to use it for “war” or whatever, and offered me six trillion dollars. Of course, I refused, because my minigame tech is for minigames exclusively! Anything else would be punishable by five to twenty!

NAOKI: [mouth hanging open, speechless] … I.

YOSHIJIROU: Hey, shut up about minigames!! Just tell us what we gotta do!

MONOKUMA: Fine, fine, fine, Lard-for-brains! I’ll tell you Students all about my incredible minigame technology!

MONOKUMA: Each of you will be put into a group depending on your opinion… and then those two groups will fight each other with the power of verbology! THAT, my lovely Students, is a **Scrum Debate!**

MONOKUMA: Those same American warmongers decided to appropriate my Minigame Tech, and they didn’t even get the name right! “Debate Scrum”, “Debate Scrum”, “DEBATE SCRUUUUUM!?” WHAT THE HECK IS A DEBATE SCRUM?! No! It’s Scrum Debate, Scrum Debate, Scrum DebaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAATEE!!

SOO-MIN: … Oh, I get it now, he’s insane!

CONNOR: [awkward] Yeah, the rest of us already had that figured out… 

MONOKUMA: Aw hang on, waitwaitwaitwait, I forgot a part!

MONOKUMA: You guys’re all gonna be **floating!**

HARUKO: … 

HARUKO: I-is that a metaphor?

MONOKUMA: Nope!

**Immediately, Monokuma raises a gavel far above his head with his round, fingerless hand, and slams it down on a button in front of him. A second or two later Haruko feels the ground beneath her podium start to shift, and before she knows it, her podium is taking her to the ceiling.**

HARUKO: Waugh!?

ISAMU: [clutching podium] WHAT THE HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLL?!

SHIGERU: [shaken] O-oh dear.

MONOKUMA: You guys ready? Put your thoughts together, and the second you’re ready to debate, _do it!_

**Noelle** : ???  
 **Isamu** : ??? **  
** **Sully** : ???  
 **Zenko** : ???  
 **Yoshijirou** : ???  
 **Xiaolu** : ???  
 **Yumi** : ???  
 **Connor** : ???

**Ai** : Rotten **  
****Shigeru** : Mentioned that **  
****Kaoru** : Wandering **  
****Soo-min** : The killer **  
****Naoki** : Floorboards **  
****Mizuki** : 7 AM **  
****Haruko** : Time had passed

[ Scrum Debate START ! ]

ZENKO: Wouldn’t someone have noticed if Ou-chan went missing yesterday, like, _duh-doy_?

[ **Teruya-san!** ]

KAORU: Ou h-had a habit of wandering off-- and the motive kept a lot of people from socializing too!

XIAOLU: Well if anyone _saw_ Ou after 7 AM yesterday, your theory’s as good as dead!

[ **Kohana-san!** ]

SHIGERU: But surely someone would have mentioned if they saw her, right?

YUMI: There’s no reason the body would not have been discovered, though… 

[ **Kurosawa-san!** ]

NAOKI: The body was hidden under the floorboards in a cabin in the woods, of course we didn’t find it right away!

SULLY: It doesn’t matter that your _hypotheses_ are somewhat possible, there’s just no concrete evidence that you’re correct~

[ **My turn!** ]

HARUKO: But from the dried coffee stain to the scent of Ou-san’s body, a lot of time had passed since the murder, definitely!

YOSHIJIROU: Doesn’t matter how it smelled, brah! Don’t dead people let out all their gross stuff when they die? It was prolly that!

[ **Imada-san!** ]

AI: Urine and fecal matter s-smell totally different from rotten meat, and this was DEFINITELY r-rotten meat!!

CONNOR: The Monokuma file clearly states that Ou-san died around 7 AM, today!

[ **Satou-san!** ]

MIZUKI: I don't think that's right… it just says 7 AM, it says nothing about the date.

ISAMU: But, wait… if it was yesterday, then how is Cho-kun the killer?

[ **Cho-san!** ]

SOO-MIN: Have you considered that I _might not have killed her!?_ Did you think of that one?!

**[ CROUCH BIND ! ]**

**[ FULL COUNTER ! ]**

HARUKO: With all that evidence… I’d say it’s practically impossible to deny it.

HARUKO: [points dramatically] The murder was committed _yesterday at 7 AM!_ There’s no evidence that suggests that it actually took place today!

**> [ TRUTH BULLET 14. - True Time of Death ]**

SULLY: Sooooo… What does that mean for us? That doesn’t really change much, _xiǎo māo._ Hoho, It’s an added piece of information that does nothing to further the case, you know?

HARUKO: [shakes head] That isn’t true at all. The fact is, with this new information… 

HARUKO: There are only _six_ living people that couldn’t have killed Ou-san… 

HARUKO: Kurosawa-san, Tachibana-san, Higuchi-san, Iwanami-san… 

HARUKO: And _Cho-san._

ISAMU: Wait, seriously?! I thought for sure it was Cho-kun! Like, fer real!

NAOKI: Ryuuzaki, we are well aware that you’re built like a dinosaur. Physically massive with a brain the size of a peanut.

ISAMU: HEY! MY BRAIN’S AT LEAST APPLE SIZED!

KAORU: Yeah, _Tachibana’s_ th-the one with the peanut brain.

YOSHIJIROU: [dumb chuckle,] Yeah. ‘s prolly cuz I’m even bigger than Isamu-kun.

SHIGERU: [light] Have you heard of the law of Equivalent Exchange?

MONOKUMA: Shush shush shush! We can’t have you getting us hounded on by the elites of the Japanese Entertainment Industry!

MONOKUMA: But, either way… that was a total win for team… Uh, I dunno, I forgot to name 'em! Whatever, it's fine-- just go ahead and continue with the debate assuming that Tae Ou died yesterday morning!

ZENKO: Buuuut what if we don’t?

MONOKUMA: Uh… I dunno. I’ll make you do another scrum debate?

MIZUKI: P-please don’t, I have a weak stomach… 

**Monokuma hits another button and the podiums begin their descent back to their original positions. Haruko sighs with relief as she hears hers click into place.**

SHIGERU: Phew, okay… but, since that’s over and done with… what now?

HARUKO: Uh, what do you mean, ‘what now?’

SHIGERU: I mean… what happens next? What do we talk about, who do we suspect?

**“Who do we suspect?” The sound drills into her head and opens her skull, letting her gaze into her own mind.**

HARUKO: (Who do we suspect? … Who do we suspect?)

HARUKO: ………………… 

HARUKO: (Even though… even though I know she couldn’t have done it… even though it’s impossible that she’s the killer… I still need to know… )

HARUKO: (I need to press onwards, with this piece of evidence…)

HARUKO: I… think I have a lead… not to the killer, but… to a suspicious person.

ZENKO: Uh, who? If you had something like that, why didn’t you mention it earlier?

HARUKO: … I was waiting for the right time, I guess.

HARUKO: (No… I just didn’t want to believe that she could be hiding something… maybe, it’s just a coincidence, and she really has no involvement at all, but…)

HARUKO: (Here goes nothing.)

**> [ PRESENT : Beach Note ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DONT FEEL LIKE MAKING ANOTHER POLL SO JUST COMMENT WHO YOU THINK THE KILLER IS


	9. [1-6] [Trial] What Remains to be Seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild NSFW mentions (humorous), discussion of childhood trauma, description of graphic (nonlethal) violence, several characters have a breakdown, immense pain and torture. Bad.
> 
> **UPDATE: JULY 7th 2020**
> 
> It's been pointed out to me that, due to some (currently) meta knowledge, one of the events at the end of this chapter is incredibly ableist (and not to mention wildly out of character). I've removed it and replaced it with a more toned-down scene that gets across the same idea. I deeply apologize for any hurt or this caused.
> 
> I also removed as many mentions as I could of Zenko "not belonging in a perfect world" or being a villain. The impression I was meaning to give was that the traits Haruko and Zenko have are both vilified by the society they live in, and living with them has caused them to view themselves as bad people. However, the writing itself implies the exact opposite, that the traits they possess and can't control _inherently_ make them bad people, which wasn't what I was going for at all. This doesn't matter, though, because intent is genuinely negligible when compared to impact.
> 
> I hope you all agree that this portrayal of Zenko (and, to a lesser extent Haruko) is much better than their portrayal pre-edit.

HARUKO: Iwanami-san… do you know what this note is?

**Haruko takes the piece of paper out of her pocket and unfolds it, showing the words written on it to the people around her.**

"Dear Noelle Iwanami,

Please visit me at 11 AM tomorrow. I'll be in a cabin in the woods. There's a trail if you get deep enough in, if you follow it, you should be fine.

-Love, Tae."

NOELLE: ………………………………… 

NOELLE: [face devoid of color] W-where… did you get that?

HARUKO: … (Huh?)

NOELLE: [suddenly enraged] HEY!! TELL ME WHERE YOU GOT THAT!!!

HARUKO: A-ah, uh, t-the beach! I found it at the beach!

NOELLE: _And you dried it off?!_

HARUKO: What the hell do you mean I “dried it off?!” It was perfectly dry when I found it!

NOELLE: Quit lying out yer ass, Kamiki!

NOELLE: …… [sighs,] Yeah, I admit it, I got that letter, but… 

NOELLE: [intense, gritted expression] I didn’t listen to that at all-- and I threw it in the ocean, too! There’s no way you should have that!

HARUKO: The… ocean? But it’s dry… it was dry when I found it.

NOELLE: D-dammit! This isn’t important, okay?! So why the hell do you even… URGH!

NOELLE: J-just shut up! You all know I didn’t kill her, so quit talkin’ about shit that doesn’t matter, okay?!

KAORU: [hiding in scarf] Well… w-we know that _you_ didn’t kill her, but… 

KAORU: Haruko-san!! C-can I present something…?

HARUKO: You… found some evidence?

KAORU: Y-yeah, I found it while I was searching through everyone’s cabins! 

**Kaoru pulls out a small, off-white sheet of paper and holds it in front of him like an assistant holding a piece of plywood about to be chopped in half. Haruko tries to narrow her eyes and read it, but the monitors above them somehow display a closeup.**

**Haruko reads the first line, and the shock almost makes her fall over.**

"Dear Zenko Higuchi,

Please visit me at 11 AM tomorrow. I'll be in a cabin in the woods. There's a trail if you get deep enough in, if you follow it, you should be fine.

-Love, Tae."

HARUKO: ………………………. 

HARUKO: Huh? Hi…. Higuchi-san?

ZENKO: [staring at KAORU] … 

**The glare she gives Kaoru is equal parts venomous and terrified. It doesn’t even seem like she’s feeling two emotions at once. Haruko’s best guess is that the fear, rage and disgust in her head just started swirling together into a concentrated venom of hatred and loathing. Of fear.**

**  
****And all of that, she sees in Zenko’s eyes.**

ZENKO: [stare unbreaking] You. Little. Shit.

ZENKO: You were digging through my room, weren’t you, you oversized rodent!?

KAORU: I-I told you I was gonna search through everyone’s! Y-you’re an ev-veryone, so that means you’re… y-y’know… included.

YOSHIJIROU: Waitwaitiwaitwait-- [turns to KAORU, next to him] You went into _everyone’s_ rooms?? How’d you even do that!? Mine was locked!

KAORU: N-no, it wasn’t! Monokuma unlocked all the doors for the investigation!

KAORU: [hugs stuffed animal] I-I barely even found anything interesting… just that note.

YOSHIJIROU: Oh! You didn’t! Good! I was startin’ to get kinda worried for a second!

YOSHIJIROU: … [realizes what he just said] ABOUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

YUMI: [cautious] Erm… Tachibana-sama, you realize that’s rather suspicious, right?

YOSHIJIROU: Aha-- what’s sus? Nothin’. Ain’t nothin’s sus about that.

KAORU: Yeah, I k-know what he’s talking about, a-and it’s… it’s pr-retty irrelevant to Ou’s death.

KAORU: A-and you know what _is_ relevant? _This note!_ I-I see you smiling, Higuchi!

ZENKO: [was obviously smiling; snaps out of it] … Hmph.

KAORU: S-see?! When we get off track, she gets happy! That’s-- that’s basically proof that she’s involved!

ZENKO: ………… [coldly] I’m gonna wring your tiny little neck, kid.

KAORU: [scared] GYAAAH!?

HARUKO: … (What the hell is going on?)

HARUKO: (Higuchi… Iwanami… both of them… )

HARUKO: (What do they _know?)_

HARUKO: Iwanami-san…? 

NOELLE: ………… [turns away, tips hat over eyes]

SULLY: [laughing a little] How impressively suspicious! _Monobear_ , would you mind dimming the lights a bit? It seems our American friend has some sensitive eyes~

MIZUKI: P-please, don’t tease her, she’s clearly not feeling right… 

NAOKI: She’s “not feeling right” because we’re rightfully suspecting her? If we don’t suspect her, we _die,_ Satou. 

NAOKI: …… San.

ZENKO: Hah! For once, I’m with Satou-chan! [fiddles with hair] You’re all ganging up on us for some useless note a blond-headed brat could have forged and taking it as gospel!

HARUKO: But, Higuchi-san… I’ve seen Ou-san’s handwriting, and this _definitely_ looks like she wrote it herself.

HARUKO: [points up] And don’t forget, Iwanami-san _definitely_ reacted to the note I showed-- that means she received it as well!

ZENKO: [hand tenses] Kh… 

ZENKO: Hey, what’s your game in all of this? What does any of this even matter?

HARUKO: [offended] Th-this is a _murder!_ One of our friends died, and you probably know something about it! What about that is so hard to understand, Higuchi-san!?

ZENKO: You’re right, this _is_ a murder… 

ZENKO: [cold, intimidating] One that both of us have alibis for.

HARUKO: (…!!)

ZENKO: [crosses arms] Don’t you remember? At _both_ possible times the murder occured, I was totally accounted for-- and so was Iwanami!

HARUKO: (That’s right… they both have alibis… both for yesterday, and the day before… )

ZENKO: _And,_ andandand… 

ZENKO: Even if we _got_ those notes, there wasn’t any reason to listen to them! I mean, a _clearly_ suspicious little girl invites you to a cabin in the woods, where, _to your knowledge,_ you’ll be entirely alone with her? [hand on side of neck] Who the hell in their right mind would listen to that?!

ZENKO: [gestures, wrist and palm outwards] Basically, there’s _no_ reason to suspect either of us-- so shut up, zip your lips, and continue onto the next point. In fact, pretend I’m not here, this is annoying.

HARUKO: Higuchi-san--

KAORU: [angry] But you’re you!

KAORU: A-anyone else, we might be able to dismiss this as coincidence, b-but you’re not anyone! You’re j-just a cold, callous, paranoid monster who antagonizes everyone around her! Th-th-that’s why we can’t just dismiss this; because y-you’re the kind of person who would have everything to do with this!

ZENKO: [eyes wide, speechless] … 

ZENKO: [narrows eyes] Haha. Hahaha. Hahahahahahahaha!! HAHAHAHA!!

**Zenko’s cackling is as sudden as it is unsettling.**

ZENKO: [out of breath, through laughter] This-- this is just perfect! Haha! You people aren’t even trying anymore, it’s pathetic! All of you, pathetic!

ZENKO: I knew you wanted me dead from the start! I knew it! It was so obvious I’m honestly glad you’re not even gonna bother anymore!

**She laughs again, injecting an air of uneasy confusion to the courtroom. Haruko can feel the people around her mumbling, shifting their weight and shuffling in their dread.**

ZENKO: [hand on forehead] Hahaha… haha.

ZENKO: [wide-eyed, serious] Shields up, motherfuckers.

**> Mizuki’s Sweets Cart** **  
****> Monokuma File #.01** **  
****> Body Discovery Announcement** **  
****> Monokuma’s Account**

ZENKO: I didn’t go to the cabin, that’s final.

ISAMU: But you totally did though, it’s obvious!

ZENKO: Hmmmm? According to who, according to what?

ZENKO: **Monokuma?**

{me!?}

ZENKO: **The Rules?**

{y-yes!}

ZENKO: Fucking **_Teruya?_ **

ZENKO: Yes, I admit I _got_ the letter… 

ZENKO: But there wasn’t any reason to go. I didn’t want to be **murdered.**

{like Ou could kill anyone, keheheh.}

YUMI: So persistent… isn’t she?

NOELLE: **…**

HARUKO: ( … Just attacking her basic point would be too vague, she’d probably dance around that… so I have to break down her supporting arguments one by one, with everything I have.)

HARUKO: (Or maybe… I could use them against her.)

**> [“The Rules?”] + [ Body Discovery Announcement ]**

**Hold that thought!**

HARUKO: You’re right, Higuchi-san, the rules _do_ prove that you went to the cabin.

ZENKO: … _Excuse_ me?

HARUKO: [pulls out smartphone] It’s right here, in the rules.

_“10) When 3 or more Students discover a corpse, a Body Discovery Announcement will be sounded.”_

HARUKO: That’s weird, right? Because only Kohana-san discovered the body when it went off… 

HARUKO: Higuchi-san, do you know what one plus two is?

ZENKO: [not amused] Yes. I do.

HARUKO: Then you should be aware of the fact that you and Iwanami-san combined with Kohana-san would be exactly enough to trigger the body discovery announcement!

ZENKO: Oh, please! I’ve already explained this! You, Kohana, and the killer also make three!

HARUKO: But Monokuma already explained that the killer doesn’t count this time, and I didn’t see the body before Kohana-san triggered the announcement!

ZENKO: So what!? You’re saying that Iwanami-chan and I are the only ones that could have seen her body?!

HARUKO: No, that’s not what I’m implying at all!! I’m saying that you two are _definitely_ the most likely, since you’re the only ones who we know got those letters, and Teruya-san searched through _everyone’s_ rooms! Unless someone is carrying one on their person, then you two are the only ones who received them!

HARUKO: You _did_ listen to the letters-- and yesterday at 11 AM, you went to the cabin in the woods and found Ou-san’s dead body! _That’s exactly what happened in this case!_

**YOUR LOGIC IS TWISTED!**

ZENKO: Hahaha… hahahahaha… 

ZENKO: You’re _sooooo_ predictable. All of you. Predictable.

ZENKO: [checks nails] I guess I’ll concede. I did go to the cabin yesterday; but I didn’t find Ou-chan’s body.

HARUKO: What the hell does that mean?!

ZENKO: Well… 

ZENKO: [catty, condescending expression] We had a nice chat, you see? Talked about how to raise morale for escape.

HARUKO: … You… you’re claiming she was _alive?!_

ZENKO: [rubbing side of jaw] Ugh, you are _so_ annoying-- I’m not “claiming,” I’m _stating a fact:_ she was alive, because I talked to her at 11 AM the day you think she _supposedly_ died.

HARUKO: (This is insane… she changes her story every other second, so how am I supposed to refute it?)

HARUKO: (Whatever she says… I need to prove my point over hers! Just keep being forceful, think simply and honestly-- no need for any flashy arguments!)

**> Body Discovery Announcement** **  
****> True Time of Death** **  
****> Monokuma’s Account** **  
****> GHB**

ZENKO:

When the note popped up in my mailbox… 

I thought to myself,

“How utterly suspicious!

I don’t want to get murdered!”

But I got over it pretty quickly

and decided to bring a knife with me.

Because of that,

I got to the cabin in time,

and talked with Iwanami and Ou-chan… 

Both of them were _alive,_

Obviously.

**_[ Cross Swords! ]_ **

**[ ADVANCE! ]**

HARUKO: What are you talking about? That just isn’t right at all!

HARUKO: Ou-san died at 7 AM yesterday, you absolutely couldn’t have been able to talk to her at 11!

HARUKO: Quit trying to argue otherwise!

ZENKO: 

“Ou died at 7?”

I’m sorry, 

when the hell did I agree to that?

Oh, right, 

**_I DIDN’T._ **

Just because you’re wrong

doesn’t mean I have to be.

Would you like me to swear on it?

I’ll do it right now,  
“I solemnly swear that **Ou-chan was alive**.”

Theeeere. Are you happy now~?

HARUKO: (Jeez… so annoying. I can’t take out the pillars supporting her claim… because there aren’t any… I just have to attack it head-on.)

**> [“Ou-chan was alive.”] vs. [ True Time of Death ]**

**I’ll put your objection in its place!**

HARUKO: No, I’m not going to take your claims seriously-- we’ve already established that Ou-san died at 7 AM yesterday-- therefore, you saying that she died after that is a blatant falsehood!

HARUKO: The only way this could have taken place… is if both you and Iwanami-san went to the cabin at 11 AM yesterday, and discovered her corpse!

HARUKO: But… why?

HARUKO: Why didn’t you tell anyone?! Is that why you both were acting so weird yesterday?!

HARUKO: All of this talk about the time of death-- and the body discovery announcement-- all of it… 

HARUKO: None of it would have happened if you two had just been honest with us!!

NOELLE: [pulling hat over eyes] ………………… 

ZENKO: … 

ZENKO: Nothing’s proved yet.

ZENKO: [crosses arms] D-don’t talk to me like it’s certain I’m wrong-- you’re just trying to force your view of the case into the rest of us! There’s no c-concrete proof that I’m not right! So-- so nothing’s certain! All of it’s… it’s all unconfirmed! Y-you’re just--

NOELLE: Higuchi… it’s over. They win.

NOELLE: [crosses arms] _Christ,_ why’d I even go along with this in the first place…? I knew I shoulda told them, but in the end, I was just as cowardly as you… pathetic.

NOELLE: [speaks up] Everyone… I’d like to explain what happened.

ZENKO: H-hey, don’t--!!

NOELLE: Higuchi and I… we both got letters tellin’ us to meet Ou-san in the cabin. When we got there, we found each other, and we waited there for a little bit… but no one showed up.

NOELLE: Eventually, I got the bright idea to move an errant floorboard… and then we realized why no one was there.

[FLASHBACK]

NOELLE: H-HOLY SHIT?! 

ZENKO: [gasps,] Ah… ahhh… 

NOELLE: W-what the fuck… WHAT THE FUCK?! WH-WHAT THE FUUUUCK!?

**Noelle and Zenko both stand in a silence of terror for an amount of time neither of them can accurately quantify. The air is an unbroken fog made of horror and uncertainty.**

NOELLE: I-I gotta tell the others--

**Zenko immediately grabs Noelle’s arm with a strength coated in desperation. Her thin fingers dig into Noelle’s sleeved arm.**

ZENKO: Y-y-you can’t. Tell. _Anyone._

NOELLE: [shocked] … 

**Noelle can’t respond.**

ZENKO: If we tell them… we’ll just be signing ourselves a death warrant. W-we’ll end up _just_ like her.

ZENKO: There’s no way I’m letting that happen to me, and _you_ shouldn’t let that happen to _yourself_ either.

ZENKO: … S-so put the floorboards back where they belong, and let’s go back to the cabins.

NOELLE: …………………………… [nods]

[END FLASHBACK]

NOELLE: At the time, I was so scared and confused, I didn’t even have the brainpower to argue with her… but lookin’ back on it now, there’s no reason to hide it anymore. In fact, it just gives us an alibi: since we’re part’a the original three, then there’s no way we could’a done it.

NOELLE: [crosses arms] So… sorry for wastin’ yer guys’ time.

HARUKO: … 

SOO-MIN: [running hand through hair] Uh, yeah, uh, like, just-- just one little tiny, quick question… 

SOO-MIN: WHAT IN THE HOLY AND ABSOLUTE _FUCK?_

SOO-MIN: Seriously, you two _found a body_ and you didn’t even tell anyone about it?! That almost got me killed! And everyone else killed too! _And me!_

CONNOR: I… don’t think I’ve ever been this impressed by someone before. In a bad way.

SULLY: [blinks incredulously] … My only question is, dear kitten, _why?_ Why, why, why, why, _why?_

ZENKO: [sighs,] You wouldn’t understand. None of you would.

SULLY: Yes, you’re right! However, my curiosity isn’t a product of a desire to relate-- it’s because I want to know how hard I should _gawk_ at your personality.

ZENKO: [blank expression] … Fine. [smirks] It’s really not a problem-- it’ll just confirm what you already think.

ZENKO: People are uncaring and lazy. As a group we single out someone based on hundreds of little inconceivable prerequisites. This person is now the one most acceptable to have die, or suffer, or be a victim to a tragedy… or to be a scapegoat.

ZENKO: That person is me. It’s _always_ been me.

ZENKO: [condescending, plastic expression] I can feel it right now I can feel your eyes _searing_ into me-- not even just now, any time I’m in a room with you people, I feel it. I _know_ it.

ZENKO: Don’t feel bad, though. It’s not just you. You’re not special.

ZENKO: I, as a person, am the universal exception. The acceptable loss. That’s why, if all of you knew that I’d found a body, you’d twist the truth in any direction, break its back and let its ribs pierce through its lungs just so that I could _possibly_ have killed Ou.

ZENKO: [checks nails] And really, that’s all there is to it. You can all ignore me now, I won’t be saying anything.

HARUKO: [visibly shocked] … 

HARUKO: (The acceptable loss… the universal exception… what the hell is she talking about? What’s happening…?)

HARUKO: ( _Why do I feel so… called out?_ )

YUMI: While I am… not surprised, I’m disappointed that you think that lowly of us… I’m sorry that we made you feel so cornered, Higuchi-sama.

**Zenko doesn’t respond, but she rolls her eyes so impressively that Haruko is worried she’s been possessed.**

NAOKI: … God, that was… that’s just a lot, huh?

KAORU: Y-yeah, the crazy bitch is a crazy bitch, v-very surp-prising.

HARUKO: (... I bet if Ou-san was alive, she’d punch him for that.)

YOSHIJIROU: So… uh… what now, guys? We still don’t know who the killer is, y’know? We gotta figure that out!

XIAOLU: [pushes up glasses] You say ‘we’ like you’re actually going to figure anything out… kehehe.

XIAOLU: … I see your point, though. Higuchi and Kamiki were having their little face-off for so long that the rest of us have been reduced to background characters. Seriously, I think this is my first line this entire episode.

CONNOR: Excuse me?

XIAOLU: Don’t worry about it. Point is that we gots to get back into our Discussion Groove… so we have to question everything. Even our own existence. 

MIZUKI: Um… can I ask something, please?

SOO-MIN: Uh, sure, Satou-chan, what’s up?

MIZUKI: Thank you… But, even though I know Higuchi-san was wrong… I think she was right to question how the murder took place yesterday.

MIZUKI: Because… if that’s the case… then Ou-san woke up at 6:30, and passed out from the drugs within fifteen minutes… but the reason I’m confused… 

MIZUKI: Is that my tarp got stolen at around 6:45 AM yesterday.

HARUKO: !!

ZENKO: !!

SHIGERU: !!

HARUKO: (That’s… a really good point?!)

HARUKO: (How did the killer steal Mizuki’s tarp yesterday if they were committing the murder at around the same time?!)

**> Floral Tarp** **  
****> Mizuki’s Account** **  
****> Mizuki’s Sweets Cart**

ISAMU: Hang on a second, why’re you **goin’ back on yer word!?** Didn’t you say the murder took place yesterday?!

{words words words, i hate em!}

YUMI: But with this put into perspective, that might **not actually be the case…**

{i bet it’s really something stupid!}

SULLY: _Как хлопотно_ … Perhaps the killer is not actually the thief after all.

MIZUKI: But her body was on my tarp, that doesn’t make sense…!

{do you think sully-chan’s hair is natural?}

SULLY: They always could have **stolen it from the thief,** _γατάκι_ ~ 

{no way!}

SULLY: [condescending, catty smile] Don’t be caught up in assumptions now~!

YOSHIJIROU: You think they coulda **stolen it on the way?**

{mumble mumble stupid dumbass mumble mumble…}

NAOKI: You mean that like they incorporated the theft _into_ their murder plot?

YOSHIJIROU: Yeah! Zactly!!

KAORU: W-wait, I think I’ve got it… 

KAORU: **The killer is Satou!** S-she’s just leading us on a wild goose chase! You--you won’t catch us this time, witch!

YUMI: [gasps!] You mean… Satou-sama killed Ou-sama?!

MIZUKI: I-I really didn’t… 

HARUKO: (Not good, if we don’t figure this out, we’ll just start accusing each other again-- without any evidence, at that!)

HARUKO: (I need to find something to jump off of, agree or disagree!)

**[“stolen it on the way”] + [ Mizuki’s Sweets Cart ]**

**Hold that thought!**

HARUKO: Tachibana-san might be on the right track, the killer might have actually stolen it on the way there.

CONNOR: … Uh, _how?_

CONNOR: I agree that the killer stole the tarp, and that the murder probably took place yesterday… but I just don’t know how someone would steal a tarp _while_ carrying an unconscious person.

HARUKO: (Yeah, I don’t know either, but it’s one of the only ways this murder makes sense… )

NAOKI: Hey, Kamiki. Earth to Kamiki? You in there? You’re supposed to start telling us how it happened now.

HARUKO: O-oh, yeah, sorry. (I don’t know how it happened!! How am I going to explain something I don’t have any clue about myself!)

HARUKO: (Calm down, Haruko, just breathe… empty the contents of your brain into the front of your head… let the answer spell itself out, with your mind organizing it all… )

**\- I - - N - - H - C - - -**

_T R R C C_

_T C T H A R G E G_ _  
__C D I G E C_

_C R A G I D E D C_

**\- I - - N - T H E C - R -**

_R I D C A G D D A T R_

_T A R D A T D R_

_R T A A D G A G G_

**\- I - - N - T H E C A R T**

_R G D G I G R I D T H E_

_E C A R T C G R R D I C_

_D I D R I G D A C C T R_

**R I D I N G T H E C A R T**

**RIDING THE CART!!**

HARUKO: I GOT IT! I-I figured it out, everyone!

MIZUKI: Aaaah!

MIZUKI: [embarrassed] … Sorry… Y-you were just very sudden… 

HARUKO: It’s okay, but I’m going to need to be loud to get everyone’s attention!

HARUKO: _Everyone, the killer rode Satou-san’s Sweets Cart!_

SOO-MIN: [cocks an eyebrow] … Like, on top of it?

HARUKO: What? No, _inside_ of it.

HARUKO: If I’m correct, Satou-san’s cart has a space underneath the main “table” as a separate storage space… 

HARUKO: Satou-san described that when she knocked on Imada-san’s door, no one responded, and when she went back, her tarp was gone, and everything on top of the cart was on the ground.

HARUKO: Here’s what I think happened…

HARUKO: After Ou-san passed out from the GHB infused into her coffee, the killer quickly took her body and ran towards Satou-san’s cart full of sweets, hiding in the extra storage space-- they were obscured by the tarp that Satou-san always covered the cart with.

HARUKO: Once Satou-san pushed the cart close enough to the woods for them to be comfortable, they sprang into action, carrying Ou-san’s body _and_ the tarp and running as fast as they possibly could. If I had to bet, I’d say that the tarp was covering them too, just for an extra bit of anonymity.

HARUKO: That’s probably why they didn’t bother to put the sweets back on top-- they had an unconscious person on their back!

YOSHIJIROU: WOAH!! ARE YOU F’REAL!? That’s insane! How do people come up with this stuff-- and why do they use it to kill people!?

YUMI: [worried] I-I have no clue.

MIZUKI: … 

MIZUKI: O-oh no… so that means…?

HARUKO: Yeah. I think your cart… was an integral part of this murder.

MIZUKI: [hands over chest, disheartened] … Ah. I see.

MIZUKI: [quietly devastated] … If I had never tried to help, do you think that Ou-chan would still be alive…?

HARUKO: There’s no point in worrying about that. 

HARUKO: The only thing to worry about… is who the hell used a harmless method of increasing morale to kill one of our friends! That’s not something I can forgive!

NAOKI: Wait, Kamiki, hold on!

NAOKI: How could someone use Satou’s cart like that? They would have to have noticed the pattern, and at the time of the murder, they’d only witnessed it _twice!_ Assuming they even witnessed it at all!

NAOKI: How could they have counted on Satou to push her cart around on the day of the murder? If she didn’t, then they would have an unconscious body that they’d have to kill right in her room, ruining the plan.

NAOKI: On top of that… why? Sure, you get more cover on the way to the woods, but other than that, it’s an incredibly complicated plan.

HARUKO: .. Well, for the why, I’d say…

HARUKO: The killer wanted to confuse the time of death even further. We all assumed it’d taken place the morning after they’d stolen it, somewhat _because_ we didn’t assume that they didn’t steal it on the same day they’d killed someone.

HARUKO: But… as for the how… 

**> PRESENT : [ Xiaolu’s Account ]**

HARUKO: Ren-san, you can tell us that, right?

XIAOLU: Huh, what? I wasn’t listening.

HARUKO: [incredulous smile] Ren-san, can you attest to the reliability of Satou-san’s cart?

XIAOLU: [scratches cheek] Oh, yeah, _mega_ reliable. Every day, at like, 6:35, she’d roll it around and knock on some people’s doors to check if they were awake. She memorized some people who _wouldn’t_ be awake so that she didn’t have to bother them. It was a whole thing.

YUMI: Erm… _how_ do you know this, Ren-sama?

XIAOLU: I people-watch when I can’t sleep. You don’t? NARC.

CONNOR: Hang on! Ren-san, if you were watching at the time the killer ran off, does that mean you saw them!?

XIAOLU: That would be a negatory.

XIAOLU: My cabin is on the guy’s side. I usually watch with the balcony on the back too. The killer ran when they were at Imada’s cabin. Her’s is on the girl’s side, and I’m ninety percent sure that the cart was at the entrance too.

SHIGERU: [fiddling with hands] All of our cabins face **eastward** , no matter if they’re on the front or back of the rows. It’d be pretty hard to see someone on the front, some cabins away, from the back of your cabin… I guess that checks out, yeah.

XIAOLU: [pushes up glasses] Yeah, plus, Ou was **_taller_** than me, so I don’t think I’d be able to piggyback her very well, keheheh.

ISAMU: Dammit! There goes my theory!

AI: [turns to look at him] D-don’t worry, it was a t-terrible theory anyways.

SOO-MIN: Wait a second… couldn’t Imada-san have done it?

SOO-MIN: I mean, she was up at the time, right!? She’s compact, there’s gotta be some muscle in her, she had the opportunity, she had the knowledge, and she probably has the tools too!

SOO-MIN: She’s a vet! There’s gotta be a **scalpel** or something in her room!

AI: H-hey!! Don’t just accuse me like that-- the wound on the neck was way too big to be made by a scalpel! Scalpels are _i-incredibly_ sharp and accurate! 

AI: If the weapon was a scalpel, then the wound would be _v-very very very_ thin! A-and it’s **not**!

MIZUKI: Plus… Imada-san did actually answer the door. She cracked it very slightly, though… and I gave her a muffin I’d brought.

AI: Ye-yeah! And… I didn’t see anything eith-either!!

HARUKO: … Wait…

HARUKO: (Wait. Wait. Wait. Waitwaitwaitwaitwait) WAIT!

CONNOR: Woah! What!

HARUKO: [hand to chest] I-I just realized something very, very important!

HARUKO: _We have no idea what the_ **_murder weapon_ ** _is!_

YOSHIJIROU: … HOLY SHIT, YOU’RE RIGHT!!

NAOKI: Oh… Oh my god! How did we miss that! It’s so obvious!

SHIGERU: Crap… because we assumed the weapon was obvious, we didn’t talk about it at all! Did any of you check the kitchen? The supermarket?!

YOSHIJIROU: Uh, I spend most of my time in da kitchen-- Kaoru-kun, fat joke can wait, but… all the knives’re still there! I don’t let anyone take any’a those!

KAORU: [pointing dramatically] S-so it could have been you!

NAOKI: No, it couldn’t have! Tachibana-kun has an alibi for yesterday morning, and I don’t think he’d easily fit into Satou’s cart either!

YOSHIJIROU: [fierce, ready to brawl] Yeah! I’m a good guy! There’s no way I’d kill anyone, not in a bajillion years!!

SULLY: Does that mean we can rule out Ryuuzaki-chan as well~? He’s also rather large.

CONNOR: Well… not as easily, but sure, he’d probably have some trouble too.

ISAMU: [fistpump] YUSSS!! I knew gettin’ beefed up would save my ass one day!

CONNOR: By the way, I spend most of my time in the supermarket… and I really don’t think anyone took any knives from there either. I’m sorta like the unofficial cashier, I just sort of check out what people are getting and make sure it’s not dangerous.

SOO-MIN: So _no one_ had a murder weapon?! What the hell is going on?!

HARUKO: Not necessarily, the murder weapon just had to have been in someone’s room from the start… or something like that.

HARUKO: Teruya-san, you investigated everyone’s rooms, right? Do you have any idea what someone could have used…?

KAORU: …

KAORU: [deep thought] … A common knife… s-someone had from the beginning… 

YUMI: Ah, Teruya-sama, what are you thinking of?

HARUKO: T-Teruya-san?

KAORU: … [extremely, extremely worried] … I-I… 

KAORU: [clutches stuffed animal, quivering] … I-I think I know who it could be…

**Shaking like a leaf, Kaoru pulls his smartphone out of his pocket.**

HARUKO: (His… smartphone?)

**Kaoru tries to clear his throat. When he tries to talk, the words just don’t come out. It’s like he’s being strangled by the fear in his heart.**

**He gives up and turns his phone out in front of him.**

**What appears on the monitors almost stops Haruko’s heart.**

“Yumi has killed one human and two animals with a butterfly knife. She is also responsible for several injuries that required hospitalization for others.”

HARUKO: ( ……………………………………… )

HARUKO: ………………………………………………… 

YUMI: [covering mouth, looking pale] ………………………. !!!

KAORU: Y-Yumi-san, I didn’t t-tell anyone before now, b-because I believe in you!! I-I still believe in you now! I-I do!

KAORU: B-but… d-do you… still have the knife?

YUMI: ………………………………… 

YUMI: [hands folded under chin] Haha.

YUMI: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Hahahaha. Hahaha.

YUMI: [tilts head] Of course not, Teruya-sama! Why would I keep something like that on me? So many bad memories. So many bad memories. So many bad memories.

**So fast Haruko barely even notices the blur, Xiaolu, from the seat next to Yumi, thrusts their hand into Yumi’s dress pocket. She can barely even take a breath before a small, stylized, somewhat battered butterfly knife is in their hands.**

XIAOLU: [casually] … But you just so happen to have this _completely_ unrelated one on you.

**The monitors show a closeup of Xiaolu’s hand holding the death sentence.**

YUMI: ………………… 

NOELLE: W-what the hell?! Y-Yumi-san, tell us you didn’t do it! C’mon! Just-- just _explain_ how you couldn’t have done it!

YUMI: ……… 

XIAOLU: Looks like that’s gonna be kinda haaaarddd.

XIAOLU: Actually, now that I think about it, Ogasawara is probably the _only_ one who could have done this.

XIAOLU: She’s tall and manual labor-loving enough to carry Ou’s body, thin enough to hide in the cart and Ou’s room, and she woke up early enough the first two days to know about Satou’s cart schedule.

XIAOLU: [pushes up glasses] Not to mention, she was close enough with Ou to know when she wakes up, _and_ the kind of coffee machine she has.

YUMI: …

YUMI: [eyes wide, blank expression] You’re wrong. You’re so, so wrong.

YUMI: You know, why aren’t we suspecting Ryuuzaki-sama? Firemen use axes all the time. Couldn’t he have had an axe in his room?

ISAMU: … WAIT! WAITWAIT WAAAAIT A SECOND! I didn’t kill her! I didn’t even know Satou-san had a cart!

MIZUKI: Y-yeah, it’s true… he never responded when I knocked on his door, and when I looked through his windows, he was always asleep when I was doing my morning routine… 

ISAMU: [shocked] YOU LOOKED THROUGH MY WINDOWS?!

MIZUKI: … Y-yes. Sorry. I got worried.

MIZUKI: Oh! T-that doesn’t mean I think you’re the killer, Ogasawara-chan! It just means it can’t be Ryuuzaki-kun!

YUMI: [head tilted, wide-eyed] … I see.

YUMI: … But… why does it have to be _me,_ pray tell?

HARUKO: (C-crap! Crap crap crap! Yumi-san is really suspicious, and she’s kind of losing it!)

HARUKO: (… It couldn’t have been her, right? It… couldn’t have... )

HARUKO: (No. She’s the only option. She had to have killed Ou-san!)

HARUKO: (This is the truth, no matter how much it hurts! No matter how much I’d rather close my eyes, I have to fight for my life! I have to fight for this painful, unrelenting truth!)

HARUKO: (I have to choose my life over hers!)

**> Tae’s Body** **  
****> Xiaolu’s Account** **  
****> Mizuki’s Account** **  
****> Mizuki’s Sweets Cart**

YUMI: [still wide-eyed, head tilted, blank expression]] I’ll concede that I’m rather suspicious right now.

YUMI: But why are you all treating this like it’s been settled?

YUMI: Kohana-sama and I have very similar builds, and both of us **wake up early enough** to know about Satou-san’s routine.

YUMI: Due to his talent, he could easily have a **machete** in his room.

{oh yeah, he likes plants!}

AI: K-Kohana triggered the body discovery announcement! He can’t be the killer!

YUMI: Why are you so sure?

{wait, she was?}

YUMI: As I recall, **Haruko-sama was with him** as the body was discovered. 

{ … }

YUMI: Isn’t there a **window** on the front side of the cabin? That means… 

{ … } { … }

YUMI: Haruko-sama could also have triggered the announcement.

  
YUMI: Meaning that **Kohana-sama is not exempt** from being a killer.

{sh-she’s totally lost it!}

YUMI: Meaning you have no reason to suspect me so disproportionately.

{yumi-kun, quit talkin’ like that!}

YUMI: _Meaning I did not kill Ou-sama._

SHIGERU: [speechless, terrified] … 

HARUKO: (…)

HARUKO: (In one of the pieces of evidence… there’s an implication that no one’s noticed yet… )

HARUKO: (That implication… is going to kill Yumi-san.)

**[“Kohana-sama is not exempt”] vs. [ Xiaolu’s Account ]**

You’ve got that wrong!

HARUKO: Yumi-san… that’s not right.

HARUKO: Ren-san’s account proves that Kohana-san could _not_ have killed Ou-san.

HARUKO: Because… Kohana-san’s cabin is on the boy’s side. Ren-san had full view of the boy’s side around the time that the killer would have exited their cabin to go to Ou-san’s… which means that the killer’s cabin has to be on the girl’s side!

YUMI: [folds hands, losing composure] B-but, butbutbut! BUT! It only starts getting light around 6:30! Anytime before that, and it’d be dark! Ren-sama couldn’t see anyone leave their cabin if it wasn’t light out!

HARUKO: But their cabins are close enough so that Ren-san would have been able to hear a door open! Even in pitch darkness, your hearing is still intact! _And it wouldn’t have even been that dark!_ They could have also easily seen movement in the darkness!

YUMI: Haha. Hahahahaha.

YUMI: Why? Why are you trying so hard to say I’m a murderer? I’ve done nothing but good for all of you, and this is how you treat me? Why are you treating me this way? Why? Why? Why?

YUMI: [losing it] WHY?!

HARUKO: (So… it’s true… Yumi-san… really did kill Ou-san… )

HARUKO: (… Everything is falling into place… but… )

YUMI: [pleading] Why are you doing this to me?! Don’t you want to survive?! Don’t you want to win?! I-I thought you were all my friends! All of you! I thought… 

HARUKO: (I need to get her to believe it too!)

YUMI:

Why, why, why?!

You have no proof!

I’ve done nothing but help all of you!

What’s so wrong with me!?!?

I thought you were my friend!

Please, stop!!

Don’t say it’s my fault!

I just wanted to atone!

  
  


I’ve done nothing but help all of you!

Why are you looking at me like that!?

Stop looking at me!!

It’s not my fault! It’s not my fault!!

I’m not a monster! I’m _not!_

We don’t even know how the killer got inside!

Yeah, how did they get inside?!

Tell me! Tell me how they got inside!

How’d they get in? How’d they get in? How’d they get in?

**Tell me, tell me, tell me! How did the killer even get inside Ou-sama’s cabin!**

  
  


**‘SHA** **  
**[A]

 **IRCL YUMI** **  
**[B] [C] ****

 **IP** **  
**[D]

**[C] [A] [B] [D]**

**Y U M I ‘ S H A I R C L I P ! ! ! !**

**This... is the end.**

HARUKO: The way the culprit got into Ou-san’s cabin? That’s easy-- they picked the lock!

HARUKO: … And, using the information I have right now, I think I have an idea as to _how…_ _They used their hair clip!_

YUMI: [gasps sharply, squeakily] !!!

HARUKO: I know they picked the lock because **Monokuma unlocked every door except Ou-san’s,** which means that they had to pick it somehow… obviously, they could have used actual lockpicks, but they probably don’t have those here, right?

HARUKO: So, obviously, they used whatever they had on hand… _their hair clip!_

HARUKO: The only other person here with a hair clip is _Higuchi-san,_ and she has an airtight alibi!

HARUKO: So, Yumi-san, what do you have to say to that?!

YUMI: [pensive expression, hands over heart] … 

YUMI: [hoarsely] I do not have anything.

YUMI: … Please, Haruko-sama. Explain it one more time.

HARUKO: …!!!

HARUKO: (W-what… is this?)

HARUKO: (She’s… she… she seems so… resigned…)

HARUKO: … [nods,] Okay. I-I’ll do it… 

HARUKO: Everything we’ve learned… everything we’ve figured out… I’ll put it right in front of everyone!

HARUKO: I’ll put an end to this horrible Class Trial!

**ACT 1**

“This case has been in the works from the very beginning of this killing game, ever since we arrived at this island.

The killer woke up early every morning, and noticed, probably subconsciously, that fellow participant, **Mizuki Satou,** pushed around **a cart** full of sweets and baked goods before and after the morning announcement went off. They probably even got some sweets themselves, not knowing that they’d be using it to kill someone soon enough.

**ACT 2**

“After Monokuma’s motive was revealed, the killer probably got to work on a murder plot very quickly, considering the severity of theirs. The killer woke up incredibly early, and snuck their way over to **Tae Ou’s** cabin. Thankfully for them, the killer was a girl, and so was their intended victim. Because of this, they avoided **Xiaolu Ren’s** watchful eye, whose cabin was luckily on the boy’s side.

Ou-san’s door was locked-- but that wasn’t much trouble to the killer, considering they had a secret weapon: the **hair clip** that they wore every day could easily be used to pick a lock. Given the killer’s probable criminal background, of course they’d know how to do something that simple.

**ACT 3**

“When the killer got into Ou-san’s cabin, they probably went straight for her **K-cup coffee machine.** Because of the expensive model, K-cup machines can hold a lot more water at a time than average coffee machines.

The killer opened the lid and dumped a bottle of **GHB** they got from the pharmacy into the water. GHB is a chemical that knocks people out within fifteen minutes-- though, because of the timeline of this murder, I’d assume Ou-san got knocked out a little faster than that.

After drugging her coffee machine, the killer hid in Ou-san’s room and waited for her to fall into their trap.”

**ACT 4**

“Ou-san woke up around 6:30 every morning, half an hour before **Monokuma’s Morning Announcement**. She’s pretty tired without her coffee, so I bet she made a cup as soon as she woke up.

Due to the amount of GHB in the coffee machine, she probably passed out before 6:40, spilling her coffee on the carpet.”

**ACT 5**

“As soon as Ou-san passed out the killer grabbed her and **carried her** to **Satou-san’s cart** … where the killer hid under the **tarp** Satou-san covered it with.

Satou-san had probably already started her routine by then, but she didn’t notice anyone slip into her cart, and continued like normal. However, after Satou-san left to knock on Imada-san’s door…

The killer sprung into action, taking Ou-san’s unconscious body and the **tarp,** running as fast as they could into the woods to get to the **woodland cabin**.

Their motivation behind this was probably to further confuse the time of death, as well as make sure no one recognized them carrying a soon-to-be-dead person on their back.

**ACT 6**

“Once they arrived at the cabin they got to work quickly, tearing up the **floorboards** to hide Ou-san’s body under.

They couldn’t have done this before, since their plan was made right after the motive was dropped-- someone would have noticed if they’d done this any time before. This was their first chance.

When the floorboards had all been taken out, the killer climbed under with Ou-san… and **slit her throat** with the **butterfly knife** they owned. This wasn’t the first time this knife had tasted blood, because their secret… was that they’d **already killed** **one person** and **two animals** with that same **knife**.

The killer used the tarp to keep themselves from getting bloody, and laid Ou-san’s body on top of it too, just so they didn’t have to carry it outside. They got out from under the floorboards and started **putting them back** , covering the body. This is probably what took them the longest.

With all their work done, they exited the cabin and walked out of the woods, with what I imagine was a sigh of relief. They didn’t bother setting up an alibi, because they expected that the body would take a long time to find… 

… But there was something they didn’t know.”

**ACT ???**

“… At some point before she died, Ou-san had written at least **two letters** to **Noelle Iwanami** and **Zenko Higuchi.** The letters told the two to meet her at the woodland cabin, the day of her murder, at **11 AM** … The woodland cabin, the exact place she died.

I don’t know how she did this… I don’t know what she knew. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but either way, the fact is that this note almost cemented her body’s discovery… intentionally, or not.”

**ACT 7**

“ **Iwanami-san** and **Higuchi-san** both obeyed the letters, and eventually discovered Ou-san’s body… but due to **Higuchi-san’s influence** , neither of them reported what they’d found. This complicated the murder even further, because the **body discovery announcement** requires three people.”

**ACT 8**

“Ou-san’s body was discovered **twenty-five hours** after her death, and **forty-four hours** after the motive was revealed… meaning that the deadline had expired around **twenty hours** before she was discovered. 

The one who set off the **body discovery announcement** was **Kohana-san** , because he was planning on using the woodland cabin for a party. The reason he discovered it in the first place was because of the **stench,** which was as strong as it was because of the body’s **decomposition**.

HARUKO: … And that’s it. That’s the whole truth of this case.

HARUKO: Because of the intricacies this murder had, there can only be one person who murderer Tae Ou…

HARUKO: I don’t want to believe it. I want to be wrong. I so _desperately_ hope that I’m wrong… because you’re my friend.

HARUKO: But… this world isn’t that kind, is it?

HARUKO: Did I get anything wrong, **Yumi-san?**

YUMI: [calm, almost tranquil expression] … 

YUMI: A… haha… ha… 

YUMI: No… you didn’t… 

YUMI: I confess.

YUMI: It was me.

YUMI: I… killed… Ou-sama.

**… Silence.**

**There isn’t a word spoken in the courtroom. The ambient echoes of** **_something_ ** **is all that anyone hears for some time. An amount of time that Haruko can’t place. Somewhere between seconds and years.**

**Somewhere between life and death.**

MONOKUMA: Alright! I think now’s a good time to bring this all to a stop!

MONOKUMA: Get out your **MonoPhones** everyone! It’s voting time! 

MONOKUMA: You all know the rules, if the majority votes for the Blackened, they die, while the Spotless continue the killing game. If a Spotless student gets voted up, however, the Spotless students all die, and the Blackened escapes with their life!

MONOKUMA: OooOoOOoOHHH!!! My heart’s _racing!!_ Who’s gonna die, who’s gonna live?! What’s the execution gonna _be?!_

MONOKUMA: All will be revealed soon! Take out your phones… and _vote!_

**Solemnly, Haruko takes out her smartphone. The layout has been changed to a four-by-four grid, much like the “Students” application had.**

**Her eyes lazily glide across the screen, searching. Number twelve. Her long, black hair and her battered face, filled with kindness and a willingness to help. All the aspects of herself that make up her soul, soon to be completely and totally crushed. Under the weight of death.**

**Haruko taps her face. Taps the confirmation. And waits.**

**…**

MONOKUMA: Aaallright! The votes are in-- ooh, I’m so excited! Did you all make the right choice, or the _dreadfully_ wrong one?

MONOKUMA: What’s it gonna be, what’s it _gonna_ beee?!

**Monokuma pulls a lever resembling something you’d find at a casino, and the monitors all start displaying something spinning, like slots.**

**And they land.**

MONOKUMA: Woooohoooo! Looks like you guys were right on the money! The one who put Tae Ou on the chopping block was none other than **Yumi Ogasawara!** Jeez, and I thought they were friends. So sad!

**On the monitors, there’s a play-by-play of the murder. There are camera angles that by all rights should not be possible, because there’s no way there was a hidden camera inside Mizuki’s cart, and there’s no way a cameraman followed Yumi throughout the woods. Haruko is too drained to even question it.**

YUMI: [resigned] … 

MONOKUMA: Aww, you ain’t even gonna talk or anything? Sooo boring! Would you prefer I just executed you right now? Cuz I would!

YUMI: … I don’t see the point. My motivation is… clear. Is it not?

YUMI: My secret… was very damning… and I would kill so that it would not be revealed.

YUMI: It made me an easy target for murder, I thought… but I didn’t realize how true it was. It made me an easy target for _Monokuma,_ as well… how easily I fell into his trap. It’s pathetic… so, so, pathetic.

NOELLE: B-but… why? Why Ou-chan?! W-we were… we were friends! All of us were friends! Why did you kill _her_ of all people!?

YUMI: [chuckles dryly.] The secret I received… was hers.

HARUKO: !!!

YUMI: It wasn’t a particularly terrible secret, or anything… but… since I had gotten Ou-sama’s secret, I just _assumed_ that she had gotten mine as well… But, well, it seems like Teruya-sama was the one who actually had mine.

KAORU: I-I… I-I’m not… I don’t--!!

YUMI: Please, don’t feel sorry for me, Teruya-sama.

YUMI: [dry smile] Rest assured, had I know you were the one with my secret, you would be the dead one right now.

KAORU: G… Ghuhh.. 

YUMI: … I am not worthy of sympathy. I simply… wanted to atone, without any bumps in the road.

YUMI: [suddenly venomous] … As if. I was scared. Scared for _myself._ Scared I was going to die, because my past caught up to me… and in a way, it did.

YUMI: [smiling again] I’m not someone worthy of sympathy, or love. I am simply a sinner, hanging desperately onto the coattails of atonement… Of redemption.

YUMI: … I am a pathetic excuse for a human.

MONOKUMA: C’mooon, Bishop! They don’t know what you’re talkin’ about! You’re just yap-yap-yappin’ nonsense at ‘em and hoping they’ll start getting your tragic backstory!

YUMI: … I guess you’re right.

MONOKUMA: Well, I’ll explain later…

MONOKUMA: **Because I have to out everyone now!**

HARUKO: …

HARUKO: W-WHAT?!

YUMI: What-- what are you talking about?!

YUMI: I killed Ou-sama before the deadline! You don’t have to release everyone’s secrets!

MONOKUMA: [tilts head] Huh? What do you mean? That doesn’t have anything to do with it!

MONOKUMA: In order for your secrets to stay secret, **you had to go through a trial within twenty-four hours of the motive!**

[FLASHBACK]

MONOKUMA: If you don’t want those juicy secrets exposed to the general public of this island, then you got a deadline to meet. MURDER! If you don’t **go through the motions** in 24 hours, then all your secrets will be revealed!

[END FLASHBACK]

HARUKO: D-dammit! He didn’t say “if you don’t **kill someone,”** he said “If you don’t **go through the motions!”**

HARUKO: We were tricked! We were tricked by Monokuma!

ZENKO: A-are you for real?! So Ogasawara killed someone for _no fucking reason,_ all because Monokuma decided to play Loop the Hole?!

XIAOLU: Oh hey, Higuchi, forgot you were here.

ZENKO: Shut up, you _worm._ I, like, don’t want my secret revealed, okay?! It’d be _totally_ annoying!

SHIGERU: I-I don’t want mine revealed either… it’s… _really_ embarrassing.

MONOKUMA: “Aw, waa waa, I wanna binky,” shut it! I don’t care about how you feel, I care about how everyone else feels!

MONOKUMA: Your secrets were meant to be revealed from the start! Think of them as ice-breakers, y’know? Really, really embarrassing ice-breakers!

MONOKUMA: These are gonna work in reverse order, barring Yumi Ogasawara, whose secret will be last!

HARUKO: **(Oh no.)**

MONOKUMA: So that means… 

HARUKO: **(Please, no.)**

MONOKUMA: The first secret we’re gonna reveal is _Paparazzi’s!_ Ay-kay-ay, **Haruko Kamiki!**

**The feeling Haruko experiences is something like how she imagines someone’s lungs refusing to move. Bound by fear and expectation, if she’s breathing while Monokuma brings out the small sliver of paper, she doesn’t feel it.**

**Haruko feels a hand on her back. It’s shaking, but the determination irradiating from it almost makes Haruko forget she’s about to be exposed. She dreads the moment that hand will be pulled away in disgust.**

NOELLE: Haruko-chan! Don’t worry! No matter what Monokuma has on you, it can’t be that bad! There’s nothing that could change how we feel about you!

YOSHIJIROU: Uh, y-yeah! YEAH! Yer gonna be fine, Haruko-kun!

SHIGERU: Be strong, Kamiki-san.

KAORU: Y-yeah!! It’ll be okay!!

MONOKUMA: [holding a piece of paper] Eh-ehm, eh-ehm… Everyone ready? I don’t actually care, but please, keep your ears up, because I’m… going to repeat this as many times as I want!

**Anticipation.**

**The stretch between words is so, so long. Haruko feels like she might pass out again.**

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: **“Haruko feels practically no empathy for other people. This includes her nine-year-old brother.”**

**……………………………………………………………**

**…………………………………………**

**…………………**

**………**

**…**

**…**

**It really is quiet, for a moment.**

**So… so… quiet.**

NAOKI: … Holy shit.

ZENKO: Well goddamn, okay?

SOO-MIN: Uh… fuck?

MONOKUMA: That’s right, everyone! Haruko Kamiki was born with no understanding of other people! She has some idea of right and wrong, but all the empathy she appears to have is a complete farce! She’s been lying about that since she was a kid!

HARUKO: ……… 

**The hand on Haruko’s back does not pull away.**

**It grows more determined.**

**There’s a voice, from a thousand miles away, right next to her.**

MIZUKI: … It’s okay.

**It is a comfort.**

KAORU: [scared] … 

NOELLE: [nervous, trying not to look it] … 

MONOKUMA: For your information, this secret was received by **Tae Ou!** How lucky was she, she got her friend’s greatest secret!

MONOKUMA: NEXT UP! River Spirit-- who you all know as **Mizuki Satou!**

ZENKO: Ohhh, I can’t wait for this.

MONOKUMA: **“Mizuki LOVES shounen manga and reads it in private almost every day.”**

ZENKO: [throws up her hands in aggravation] REALLY?!

MIZUKI: [trying to hide her face] … 

SOO-MIN: [visibly intrigued] … Ohoho~?

MONOKUMA: [one hand in the air] I’m pretty sure elaborating on that any more would be in _very_ bad taste, so let's move on! That secret got sent to Xiaolu Ren!  
  
MONOKUMA: Now, onto Mooner! **Connor Barros!**

CONNOR: [sarcastic] Oh, _great._

MONOKUMA: **“Connor dropped out of school when he was sixteen. This is his first year back.”**

SHIGERU: … There’s no way that’s true. Connor-san is an incredibly intelligent person-- he’s one of the only people here with an academic talent, why would he drop out of school?

CONNOR: [sighs.] It’s true.

SOO-MIN: FOR REAL? Why??

CONNOR: I’m _depressed,_ Cho-san. I could barely get out of bed when I was sixteen, let alone go somewhere where my only job was to be judged by _literally_ everyone around me. I decided to drop out, and that’s when I decided to start a blog.

MONOKUMA: Well said, Mooner! I didn’t even have to say anything!

CONNOR: [unamused] … 

MONOKUMA: Just so y’all know, Isamu Ryuuzaki got that one.

ISAMU: [embarrassed] … 

MONOKUMA: Mooooving on… Ball n’ Chain! **Naoki Kurosawa!**

HARUKO: (Th-that’s… the secret I got… it was something like--)

MONOKUMA: **“When Naoki dies, he wants to be a brutally murdered cold case.”**

HARUKO: (… Yeah, that.)

YOSHIJIROU: N-Naoki-kun… you wanna die?

NAOKI: That’s… _not_ what that said at all. Even vaguely.

NAOKI: [adjusting glasses] When it’s my time to die, I never want to be forgotten. Not ever. If that means it’ll hurt more when it’s all over, I don’t care.

NAOKI: I’d be content with someone vivisecting me if it meant my life would _never_ be forgotten.

SULLY: How… _Dramatic._

MONOKUMA: Yup, that’s about it! Ball n’ Chain’s so used to death that his legacy is basically the only thing he cares about-- y’all should take some notes for that, just in case you wanna become blackened later on!

MONOKUMA: … Haruko Kamiki got that one, by the way.

MONOKUMA: We’re skippin’ Yumi Ogasawara, so onto… [groans,] _Wiz Kid._ **Xiaolu Ren.**

HARUKO: (Was that… a groan?)

NAOKI: [groans even louder,] _UGH._

HARUKO: (What?)

MONOKUMA: **“Xiaolu hasn’t actually seen ‘V for Vendetta.’”**

MONOKUMA: ...That’s all I got. Seriously. This kid’s open about their criminal record, debilitating mental health issues, and so on and so forth! This was _everything_ I could find on them!

NAOKI: I’m assuming you gave it to me because of how frustrating it is?

XIAOLU: Keheheh… I’m an enigma, yet an open book. Like a really shitty mystery~

MONOKUMA: Obviously, Naoki Kurosawa got that one! NEXT… Ooo, this one’s juicy-- Twig! **Soo-min Cho!**

SOO-MIN: [takes a deep breath,] [exhales.] Alright. Hit me.

MONOKUMA: If you insist!

MONOKUMA: **“Soo-min has drawn TONS of fetish art over his career.”** … Received by Yoshijirou Tachibana!

MONOKUMA: All flavors, all different subflavors of those flavors-- Twig boy will draw basically anything for enough money! I’m not gonna mention _what_ specifically, but just know that sometimes, it gets real gross!

SOO-MIN: DO. NOT. GET ON MY CASE ABOUT THIS. DO NOT-- JUST DON’T-- DO _NOT._ Horny people give you _bank,_ okay, if I want money I have to sever all possible inhibitions, alright?!

ZENKO: [holding back a snicker] That-- that is _actually_ hilarious, oh my GOD.

YOSHIJIROU: [embarrassed] Heheh, heh, uh, _no_ idea why I got that one! No clue!

KAORU: [glares at him] … 

MONOKUMA: Oh, _come on,_ Lard-for-brains! It’s not your turn yet!

MONOKUMA: It’s Beanie Baby’s! **Kaoru Teruya** ’s, even!

MONOKUMA: Aww, but this one’s so boring, [tuts lips,] guess I’ll just have to wait till we get to the juicier ones… 

MONOKUMA: **“Kaoru has been through several therapists, seeing little improvement for his emotional issues, since he was ten. These emotional issues include an explosive temper, extreme judgementalily, and emotional manipulation.”**

KAORU: … 

HARUKO: … 

YUMI: … 

MONOKUMA: … Received by Sully O’Sullivan.

SULLY: [casually plays with earrings] … Mhm~

MONOKUMA: Yup yup! Beanie Baby’s been jumping from therapist to therapist like he’s playin’ hop-skotch! He’s seen little-to-no improvement, and most therapists drop him after a few sessions just because he’s _that_ bad. Beanie Baby's cutesy wutesy exterior is just an act, so that he can avoid conflict while throwin' out insults every other minute! How sad!

KAORU: H-he’s lying! Mono-Monokuma’s _lying!_ Th-there’s no way I’d do anything like that!! I-I’m just a kid!

MONOKUMA: Jeez, and you’re even tryin’ to deny it… so sad, so sad… so _annoying._ I have the documents, y’know, the internet is the most powerful thing in the world when you know how to use it!

YOSHIJIROU: … Honestly, not hard ta believe. He’s sort of a dick, haven’t y’all noticed?

KAORU: T-tch. Said like a t-true adult, you _whale._

YOSHIJIROU: … I’m like, three months older than you.

HARUKO: (... I knew he wasn’t exactly emotionally healthy, but this is… a surprise. At least.)

KAORU: … O-okay, I admit it! I admit that I’m a terrible person!

KAORU: [crying] I-I… I’m sorry for being such a piece of garbage!! It’s all my fault, okay!? I’m sorryyy!! I-If you wanna hate me, I won’t blame you, b-because I’m-- I’m such a worthless piece of crap! I don’t deserve to live!

ZENKO: Yeah, we all already knew. It’s not very hard to notice.

ZENKO: … So just keep being so mind-numbingly pitiful, and watch as everyone hates you _just_ as much as they hate me~

KAORU: … [clutches stuffed animal, shaking with… something]

MONOKUMA: Next up, the big man himself, Lard-for-brains! **Yoshijirou Tachibana!**

YOSHIJIROU: Wait-- me already?! Fuck! Fuck, fuck fuck!

ZENKO: What are you so worked up about? It’s honestly _boring._

YOSHIJIROU: Yer the one who got it?!

ZENKO: [files nails] … Yeah. That was, like, implied.

YOSHIJIROU: Sssshit. Shit. Shit.

MONOKUMA: **“Yoshijirou’s greatest fantasy involves being held by a muscular man and getting takeout.”** Received by Zenko Higuchi.

SOO-MIN: … Dude. That is like, _so_ … pedestrian? Most people’s fantasies include, like, I don’t know, being on a cruise or going on a road trip, not… eating fast food and cuddling.

YOSHIJIROU: [not even trying to respond, pink face hidden in hands] … 

MONOKUMA: Yup, yup! Lard-for-brains is a pretty simple guy, so of course his romantic fantasies would be simple! His dream date involves a _big, handsome muscular man_ holding his hand-- probably at a McD▇▇▇▇▇’s or something! 

MONOKUMA: I know, _toootally_ embarrassing, right?

MONOKUMA: … But, uh, NEXT!

MONOKUMA: Oooo, I like this one. Cyclone! **Zenko Higuchi!**

ZENKO: [checking nails] … 

ZENKO: … Am I supposed to respond?

MONOKUMA: … No!

MONOKUMA: **“Zenko has smuggled dozens of weapons from police stations.”**

MONOKUMA: … Connor Barros got that one.

HARUKO: !!!

ZENKO: … [playing on her phone] … What? You guys are _surprised?_

ISAMU: O-of course we are!! That’s a fuckin’ _crime,_ girlie!

ZENKO: It sure is. Not like it was my idea, blame Dad for that one. I really don’t care about that, it’s all behind me… but I’m sure all of _you_ will be hounding me for it until I’m dead.

SOO-MIN: You mean… _guns?_ Like, gun-weapons?!

SHIGERU: Holy crap, you were smuggling _guns?_ In _High School?!_

ZENKO: Yes? Since I was thirteen? I don’t do it anymore. You’re all weird.

ISAMU: CONNOR-KUN! Why didn’t you tell anyone?!

CONNOR: … Because I didn’t care? It’s basically a harmless crime. I don’t like cops, Ryuuzaki-san.

ISAMU: Unbelievable. Unbelievable! We had a smuggler and a murderer in our group, and _no one_ peeped up!?

SHIGERU: That is… very disappointing, I have to admit.

MONOKUMA: Awww, don’t blame her, you don’t even know the whole story!

MONOKUMA: Y’see, when Cyclone was a child, she was incredibly flexible-- like, _mega freaky-deaky flexible._ Her father, being quick-to-capitalize, decided to introduce her to the concept of contortionism, since, as you know, it’s not a real big thing over in the Jay-pee-enn!

MONOKUMA: However, this contortionism also included… smuggling weapons for his personal use! Awww, so pitiful, she doesn’t even have agency over her own talent. So sad!

ZENKO: [disgusted] … Don’t try and make them _pity_ me, you pig.

MONOKUMA: Who cares! Next up is Flower Child! **Shigeru Kohana!**

SHIGERU: … Ah.

MONOKUMA: **“** **Shigeru was into “Prancing Pony Power Triad” when he was a kid.”** Noelle Iwanami got that one.

SHIGERU: … heheh. Heh. Heh. Oops?

SOO-MIN: Prancing Pony Power Triad, like… the one about ponies with magical princess powers?

SHIGERU: [points for emphasis] Yes! That’s the one!

MONOKUMA: He never missed an episode! His favorite was Bumblemane!

MONOKUMA: … Yeah that’s all I have to say about that. It’s a show about brightly colored horses being friends with each other marketed towards nine-year-old girls. That’s his embarrassing secret.

SHIGERU: Bumblemane was… definitely my favorite, yes.

NOELLE: Seriously, not even _I_ liked that one. I stopped watchin’ around when Loversmile got locked in the soul crystal.

ISAMU: The _WHAT?!_

MONOKUMA: Whatever! Ms. Musketeer, ay-kay-ay, **Sully O’Sullivan** is next!

SULLY: [playing with earrings slightly frantically] … 

MONOKUMA: **“Though Sully dresses nice, her family is actually poor, in no small part thanks to her spending habits.”**

MONOKUMA: … Mizuki Satou got that one.

NOELLE: Hey, what the hell!? Yer just leavin’ yer family in the dust so you can look all fancy?! That’s unforgivable! How do you live with yourself?!

SULLY: [same expression as always] [sweating slightly] … I use my right to remain silent.

HARUKO: …

HARUKO: ( … Shame. That’s the word I talked to Sully-san about yesterday… that’s definitely what she’s feeling. Pure, unadulterated shame…)

HARUKO: (She has such a fragile smile… yet it persists. It looks like it could break at any second, but it doesn’t… and it never, never reaches her eyes. Not ever.)

MONOKUMA: Yup yup, it’s exact how it sounds! Though Ms. Musketeer’s family was born impoverished, she uses most of the money she gets from being a linguist to fund her personal image-- her family basically completely relies on her at this point, and she’s not even a reliable middle-man!

SULLY: [smiling blankly] … [it doesn’t reach her eyes] I have no comment. 

MONOKUMA: Alright, we’re almost to the end! Litterbox’s turn! **Ai Imada!**

AI: Ku. Do your worst, M-Monokuma-me.

MONOKUMA: Okay!

MONOKUMA: **“Ai doesn’t consider herself human.”**

MONOKUMA: … That went to Soo-min Cho!

AI: … Your w-wording is so _obnoxious._

AI: It’s not that I don’t “consider myself” human, _I’m not human._ I-I never was.

SOO-MIN: … Uh, have you looked at a mirror lately?

AI: [points] S-SAVE YOUR COMMENTS FOR LATER, Y-YOU STUPID BLUBBERING BABY!!

SOO-MIN: A-ah, um, uh, okay! Okay! Okay! [backing away defensively]

MONOKUMA: Ahuh, ahuh! When she was but a small child, Litterbox was taught repeatedly that “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down!” Jeez, what an old saying, I’m embarrassed just repeating it. Either way, through repeated violence and harassment, Litterbox now knows her true self-- Uh, I dunno what she actually is, but it’s not human!

MONOKUMA: Anyways, let’s move on, we’ve been doing this for waaay too long!

MONOKUMA: “ **Isamu** **has developed a fear of both fire and danger since losing his leg.”**

ISAMU: … [opens his mouth, but ends up just crossing his arms and looking away]

SOO-MIN: … OH SHIT! I THOUGHT THAT WAS A SOCK! That’s-- that’s a prosthetic!

CONNOR: Oh, yeah, damn, that _is_ a prosthetic. Sorry, man?

ISAMU: Just… don’t mention it, alright? Don’t.

CONNOR: [finger guns,] Gotcha.

MONOKUMA: Yuuup, not much to say about that one. He only got outta physical therapy pretty recently, and now, it’s _way way way_ harder to do his job, since he’s a lot more of a scaredy-cat than he was before that house collapsed on him!

MONOKUMA: … But Shigeru Kohana got that one!

SHIGERU: Eheh, guilty as charged.

MONOKUMA: No one asked… OOOO!!

MONOKUMA: OOOOOHOOOOHOOOOO!!! THIS ONE!!!!

MONOKUMA: [clears throat] Eh ehm, eh ehm… 

MONOKUMA: “ **Noelle** **has beaten someone to the point of serious hospitalization.”**

MONOKUMA: Ai Imada got that one!

HARUKO: (… What? What the hell? Why? _Why?)_

NOELLE: … 

NOELLE: [uncaring expression] His name is Arin Wallace, and he’s someone the world really shouldn’t hafta deal with.

NOELLE: Haha, if I’m bein’ honest, I wish I’d killed him. I really do.

MIZUKI: … W-why… why would you--

NOELLE: _Because some people deserve to die screaming, Satou-chan._ It’s as simple as that.

NOELLE: I still remember how it felt, honestly. God, it was _so_ satisfyin’, feelin’ his jaw _crack_ and _move_ under my fist. I remember, I broke his ribs, too, and his nose-- I’m pretty sure I knocked out a few teeth too. God, I hope he remembers me-- I haven’t heard from him in a while, so that must mean he’s scared. I hope he stays scared. He really should stay scared. I never want him to be happy again. I hope he’s scared of the world for the rest of his god-forsaken life. _I hope he dies unloved._

SHIGERU: … 

SHIGERU: W-what did he even _do?_

NOELLE: You know what the alt-right is? He was a big spokesman for that. _Monsters._ All of them. Everything would be so much better if they all died off. They don’t care about anyone that doesn’t fit into _their_ definition of a person.

NOELLE: So, haha, haha, when I saw him wander into an alleyway… I followed him. And I beat him three-quarters to death.

NOELLE: Course, I woulda bragged about it. I really wish I coulda bragged about it, but I got a career to hold up, y’know? The only thing I need jail time for is protesting. Those _fuckers_ are real annoying about how we should be peaceful-- I think they should be dead. If they knew I fucked one of their numbers up so bad, they wouldn’t take me seriously. So I just left him to die, and hoped they didn’t figure it out.

KAORU: Y-you’re sick…!

NOELLE: You tryin’ to make me feel ashamed? It ain’t gonna work.

NOELLE: [smiles] I’d do it again, y’know, if the chance popped up. Course, I’d go fer the kill this time. Sometimes, I consider it, y’know. Bein’ a monster hunter. _Huntin’ monsters._ But I’d get found out pretty quick, obviously.

NOELLE: … Well that’s basically all I gotta say about that. I don’t regret it. I never will. Not even if I go to prison for it.

HARUKO: … (I… don’t know how to feel about this.)

SHIGERU: I-Imada-san, why didn’t you tell us?

AI: B-because I confronted her about it, and sh-she was right. It’s humans like her t-that keep your sp-species up and running! You should be happy she’s here!

KAORU: H-holy crud… 

MONOKUMA: … WOOF! THAT WAS A LOT! I DIDN’T EVEN GET THE CHANCE TO SAY ANYTHING!

MONOKUMA: That was the third-to-last one, so let’s go onto… **Tae Ou!**

MONOKUMA: As stated before, this secret went to Yumi Ogasawara.

MONOKUMA: Eh ehm… 

MONOKUMA: **“Tae is planning to destroy Hope’s Peak Academy.”**

HARUKO: … What?

**Haruko feels a sense of confusion like water filling up a tiny box she’s trapped inside. It’s going to drown her.**

HARUKO: Hey, what the hell are you talking about, what does that mean?!

HARUKO: D-does she mean that literally or metaphorically?! How does she want to ‘destroy’ it!? Like, with bombs?! Just the ideology of the place?! HEY! ANSWER ME!

MONOKUMA: [shrug] I dunno! She’s dead! There’s not really any point in elaborating! She died, that’s it!

HARUKO: _GOD DAMN IT!_ What the hell!?

HARUKO: (Why did she… _how_ did she…?!)

KAORU: Of c- _course_ she wants to do something like that… sh-she was crazy… 

NOELLE: [cracks knuckles] Hey, _Kaoru,_ you wanna follow in Mr. Wallace’s footsteps?

KAORU: U-UH, NO!! NO I DON’T! PLEASE DON’T HURT ME!

NOELLE: [eerie smile] That’s what I thought.

MONOKUMA: And now… the finale. **Yumi Ogasawara.**

MONOKUMA: You already heard it before, so I’ll just repeat it! Just in case y’all forgot!

MONOKUMA: **“Yumi has killed two animals and one human with a butterfly knife. She is also responsible for several injuries that required hospitalization in other people.”**

YUMI: [tranquil, resigned expression] … 

MONOKUMA: I’ll go into a little more detail for this one.

MONOKUMA: … Because, you see, Yumi Ogasawara grew up in the **Nishinari District.**

CONNOR: … The what?

NAOKI: [surprised] They’re… they’re the biggest slums in Japan! After the tragedy, they started getting _really, really_ dangerous-- you couldn’t go a week without seeing a corpse!

YUMI: … Yes. You’re right. I’ve lived there my whole life.

MONOKUMA: Yup yup! And as a denizen of the Nishinari District, Yumi Ogasawara was frequently caught up in gang activity! Not like she actually _joined_ a gang, but like… gang members occasionally tried to murder her! That’s where she gets the scar on her nose from, actually!

MONOKUMA: Those two animal murders, they were just self defense… the human murder is less so.

MONOKUMA: One day, the same person who gave her the scar on her nose approached her… and tried to kill her for real!

MONOKUMA: Luck wasn’t on his side that day, though-- Yumi Ogasawara threw him to the ground face down so hard he got knocked out… and that’s when Yumi Ogasawara made a choice.

MONOKUMA: She turned him over, and slit his throat. 

MONOKUMA: He died within two minutes.

MONOKUMA: Of course, she was prosecuted, but the judge was strange and kind! He said to her, “You will not go to prison, but you will have to do one-hundred-sixty hours total of volunteer labor!”

MONOKUMA: Course, she did more than that, because now, she’s the Ultimate Volunteer, but that’s the story of how she _became_ the Ultimate Volunteer. Yumi Ogasawara took her first human life at age fifteen…

MONOKUMA: [cackling expression] And her second at age twenty!

YUMI: [hands folded] … 

YUMI: All of my life… since that day, five years ago… has been atonement. I’ve… devoted my life… to atoning… for all those I’ve hurt, and the one I’ve killed.

YUMI: … I’m… so happy that I can finally, _finally,_ atone in full… With my death.

MIZUKI: [on the verge of tears] Y-Yumi-san--!!

YUMI: … I want all of you to know the name of the man I killed, five years ago. It’s only fair to him that I don’t let his memory die… 

YUMI: His name… was **Eiji Tenjou.**

NAOKI: … His…

NAOKI: [grips edge of podium] _HIS NAME WAS_ **_WHAT?!_ **

YUMI: [tilts head] Hm?

NAOKI: You… You’re… _it was you?_

NAOKI: _YOU’RE THE ONE WHO KILLED EIJI TENJOU!?_

YUMI: Ah… did you know him?

NAOKI: Of-- of _course_ I know him!! Why the hell wouldn’t I know him!?

CONNOR: Uh. Y’all. Elaborate.

NAOKI: [determined] I have a confession to make… 

NAOKI: [perfect posture] I’m also from the **Nishinari District.**

NAOKI: … And my encounters with gangs there weren’t _nearly_ as hostile as Ogasawara-san’s.

NAOKI: I made friends with some members of one when I was a kid… and… their leader… his name… was **Eiji Tenjou.** W-when he died… they started a manhunt for whoever was responsible, and a lot of my friends… they got hurt, because people thought they’d killed him… 

NAOKI: I’ve…

NAOKI: [emotional] _I’ve been wondering who killed him for five years!_ I’ve searched and searched so no one would have to get hurt, e-ever since I was _fourteen!_ And you’re just _admitting_ to it, here and now!?

NAOKI: I’ve wanted… I’ve wanted to know what kind of person you were for _so long,_ Ogasawara-san!

YUMI: … I’m sorry to disappoint.

NAOKI: God damn it! _GOD DAMN IT!_ You can’t die! Not yet! I’ve-- I’ve barely even talked to you! Why did you have to… _why?!_

MONOKUMA: Because she’s a killer. That’s it.

MONOKUMA: Anyways, feel free to make some last words before the execution, because that was all the secrets!

ZENKO: …

**There’s an aura radiating from Zenko. Haruko can’t quite place it.**

ZENKO: This is… _perfect._ All of it's perfect!

HARUKO: Higuchi-san, w-what are you talking about?

ZENKO: I mean, think about it! All of you hated me from the start, and now… now?

ZENKO: [smirking gently] … All of us… are on the same level.

ZENKO: [frames face with one hand] Haha... hah. [smiles,] There aren't _any_ more excuses now. If you want me to burn at the stake, you have to come along too.

**An uncomfortable silence falls over the courtroom. Haruko doesn't know whether it's a silence of consideration or disbelief. In her case, it's both. Zenko has been an antagonistic force since the beginning of their stay at the island-- and the only difference between her and the rest of the students is that she doesn't mask her flaws. When her secret was revealed, she was playing a game on her phone-- a stark contrast to Haruko, who felt like she might pass out if Mizuki hadn't helped her through. An epiphany runs through Haruko at that moment, one that should have been apparent from the very beginning.**

HARUKO: (… The reason Zenko is… well, Zenko… is because she views persecution and hatred as inevitable. No matter where she goes… she thinks that people will hate and fear her, so she doesn't even have it in her to be surprised when it happens.)

HARUKO: (How…)

HARUKO: (How did I miss that…?)

**Haruko's brain goes silent for a few moments, like the rest of the courtroom.**

YUMI: … In a way, you’re right, Higuchi-sama.

YUMI: [angelic pose] All of you… all of you are good people. Even Higuchi-sama… you’re not a bad person, even if you say you are-- I just know it… 

YUMI: All of you… deserve the best out of life. Every single one of you… deserves better than this.

ZENKO: [gives her a weird look] … 

YUMI: … Monokuma… could you grant me a last request?

MONOKUMA: Hm? Sure, what is it?

YUMI: Please, could you tell me… 

YUMI: [holding hands to chest] Who… put us here? In this Death Game?

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: the **Black Phoenix Initiative.**

MONOKUMA: They’re a group of rebels who only want one thing; the resurgence of the grand tragedy from thirty years ago.

YUMI: [exhales lightly, almost smiling] … Thank you.

**For a moment, there is silence.**

**It is only a moment.**

MONOKUMA: … Alright, with that, I think now would be a good time for the execution!

YOSHIJIROU: Wait… _wait, what!?_ She-- she’s actually gonna die?! W-why?! We don’t blame her! I-I don’t want her to die!!

NAOKI: _GOD DAMN IT, NO!!_ NOT LIKE THIS! NOT AFTER _FIVE YEARS!_

MONOKUMA: **Now, I’ve prepared a very special Punishment for Yumi Ogasawara, the Ultimate Volunteer!**

YUMI: Everyone… **please never forgive me.**

MIZUKI: Y-Yumi-saaaAAAnn!!

NAOKI: You can’t die like this! _YOU CAN’T DIE RIGHT NOW!_ YOU NEED TO TELL ME _EVERYTHING!_

SOO-MIN: _Holy shit,_

MONOKUMA: **Let’s give it everything we’ve got!**

KAORU: Yumi-san, no! Please don’t die!

SULLY: _Gott im Himmel--!!_

NOELLE: WE CAN’T JUST LET THIS HAPPEN!!

SHIGERU: Oh God, no--

ISAMU: GOD DAMN IIIIIIITT!!

MONOKUMA: **IIIIIIIIIIT’S PUNISHMENT TIIIIME!**

YUMI: …

YUMI: Ah. I see.

YUMI: I really have caused so much trouble, haven’t I…?

**Monokuma bangs his gavel.**

**Yumi is chained by the neck and dragged away.**

**……………………………………………………………**

**…………………………………………**

**…………………**

**………**

**…**

**Yumi is thrown onto the ground haphazardly as she gets a look at her surroundings. She’s in a junkyard, piled with garbage and thrown-away objects up so high she’s not sure she can see the top.**

**She looks around more and notices that the surrounding city seems familiar-- it seems to be a cardboard cutout version of the Nishinari district. She doesn’t get to appreciate it for very long. There’s a metallic “beep” from below her face.**

**This is when she realizes that the collar that dragged her here never came off.**

**Yumi lets a sudden** **_shriek_ ** **as she claws at the collar, taking some of the skin on her neck off with her savage nails. She falls to the ground as she continues to write and scream, desperately clawing at the collar that grabs her neck like a dog’s. Her body wretches upwards as she convulses in pain.**

**This continues.**

**…**

**………**

**…………………**

**…………………………………………**

**……………………………………………………………**

**Haruko and the others watch this scene on the monitors, barely breathing.**

MONOKUMA: Now, I figured, since Yumi Ogasawara’s talent is “Volunteer,” this execution would be a special case, y’know?

**A small podium rises in the middle of the courtroom.**

MONOKUMA: If you don’t want her to suffer for who-knows-how-long, all you gotta do is press that button!

ISAMU: What… what’re you talkin’ about?

MONOKUMA: I’m _saying_ if you don’t press that button, she won’t die, but if you do press it, **you'll kill her painlessly!**

**There’s a collective gasp among several members of the court. Everyone feels the eyes of everyone else on them as they glance around.**

NAOKI: Th-there’s _no way_ I’m letting anyone press that button. We can still get to her, we just need to figure out how!

YOSHIJIROU: We… we can’t just kill her, can we?! That’d be against the rules!

MONOKUMA: Oh, yeah, this’ll be an exception-- I’m not gonna execute you for pressing that button! You have my beord! (That’s slang for Bear Word!)

XIAOLU: There’s… we’re not gonna press that button, okay? None of us want that on our conscience.

MONOKUMA: **Then she’ll suffer until she starves.** It’s that simple.

MONOKUMA: Of course, I don’t care either way, so the elevator door is open. Just in case you want her to suffer.

HARUKO: E-everyone, we _have_ to press that button!

NAOKI: _Like hell you do!_ We can still save her, okay?!

ZENKO: Hell no, there’s no _way_ we can get there! The fucking door is like, _totally_ locked shut!

NAOKI: Y-you can’t just give up!! There’s still a way!

NOELLE: Fuck that, I-I’m pressin’ it!!

**Noelle dramatically stomps over to press the button, but just before her hand reaches it, she falters.**

NOELLE: D-damn it! _God damn it!_

**Naoki pushes her out of the way of the button. She doesn’t fall over, but he almost does.**

NAOKI: _No one. Is pushing that button._ We’re not gonna let her _die!_

SOO-MIN: Well… _shit!_ What do we do now?! We can’t just let her go through that!

KAORU: I-I… I don’t want her to die either!!

AI: [quivering under her podium]

SULLY: [uncharacteristically grave] She is _dead,_ Kurosawa-san. Just let us end her suffering.

NAOKI: _Like hell she’s dead!_ Look! She’s still alive on the monitor!

**The pain seems to have gone to a lower streak. While still writhing, it’s not quite as grotesque to look at.**

ISAMU: Kurosawa-kun, get away from the button or I’ll beat you with it!

**Isamu rushes him, but Naoki dodges out of the way, pulling something out from his bag. It’s pepper spray, which he holds in Isamu’s direction.**

NAOKI: D-d-don’t. Fucking. Move. Okay.

ISAMU: You threatenin’ me with _pepper spray?!_ That’s the dumbest shit I’ve seen all day!

CONNOR: E-everyone, please, let’s all just _calm down--_

NAOKI: I am calm! It’s-- it’s _you all_ who aren’t calm! You-you’re calling her dead, but… but we can still save her! All of us can still rescue her! She _doesn’t have to be dead!_

SOO-MIN: This… this is so fucked up! This is _so fucked up!_

**While Naoki’s head is turned away Isamu charges Naoki again, pinning him to the ground. Naoki pepper sprays his eyes, and Isamu roars.**

ISAMU: AAAAAAGH!!!

**In his pain, he flings Naoki across the floor and into a podium. Naoki curses in pain and tries to get up, but fails, always falling back into his position on the ground.**

HARUKO: We… we need to stop this!

XIAOLU: _How?_ Whenever someone tries to push the button they stop halfway there-- it is _literally_ killing someone… This is… gross.

**Haruko frantically looks around, and notices Naoki almost-successfully getting up.**

HARUKO: (How? How do we stop this? Can we really save Yumi-san? Do we listen to Kurosawa-san? How do we stop Kurosawa-san? How do we--)

**Under the murmur of the courtroom Haruko hears a noise so soft and quiet that she’s almost not sure it was made.**

**She turns her attention to the small structure in the middle of the circle of podiums.**

**Mizuki’s soft hand is laid gently on the button.**

**Tears are streaming down her face.**

MIZUKI: …

MIZUKI: I-I’m sorry, Yumi-san... but… I forgive you… I forgive you… _I forgive you…_ Even though you killed my friend, I-I… I forgive you… I’m sorry, but I forgive you… for everything… I forgive you… I forgive you… 

NAOKI: … W-what… did you…!?

**Naoki collapses to the floor. Still conscious but mentally gone.**

**Haruko looks up to the monitors. Yumi is… calm. She isn’t dead yet. She looks almost at peace.**

**Her lips move slowly, Haruko thinks she might be saying “Who?”**

**She moves her eyes lazily towards the sky above her. Her mouth opens again as she half-smiles, probably making a noise like “Aaah.”**

**The next thing she says is unmistakable.**

**“Thank you, Mizuki.”**

**Yumi closes her eyes.**

**She dies smiling, as a tear rolls down her face.**

**……………………………………………………………**

**…………………………………………**

**…………………**

**………**

**…**

**After the trial no one bothered to talk. Yoshijirou had to carry Naoki out of the courtroom, and the elevator was as silent going up as it was going down, hours before.**

**Haruko doesn’t even make it to her room. She simply lies in the grass. Drained. She doesn’t know how long she stays there, but it’s dark when she’s next aware of her surroundings.**

ZENKO: Hey. Kamiki.

HARUKO: …

ZENKO: … Kamiki, get up, pretty please?

**Haruko reluctantly pushes herself into a standing position. She’s still shaky.**

ZENKO: There we go! Hey, I was thinking… Someone with no empathy, born to be vilified… if I’m being honest, that’s someone I could get along with.

HARUKO: …

ZENKO: I know we got off on the wrong foot. And then proceeded to _kick each other_ with those same feet… but…

ZENKO: Both of us need allies. You need close ones, I need them _in general._

ZENKO: So, what do you say? I can't exactly say this is gonna be the most socially acceptable alliance, but… I can at least tell you that I'll stick with it.

**Zenko holds out her hand.**

**…**

**Haruko looks at her stonily, unblinking.**

**And shakes it.**

**……………………………………………………………**

**…………………………………………**

**…………………**

**………**

**…**

**[CHAPTER 1]**

**[ WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN ]**

**[ END ]**

**[ 14 STUDENTS REMAIN ]**

**[ 2 HAVE DIED ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ................
> 
> CDR will be taking a hiatus so I can finish chapter two! Ideally, 2-1 will be released by July, but don't be surprised if it takes a little longer than that. I'm one person, y'know?
> 
> Also, from chapter two onwards, updates will be spaced out to every two weeks as opposed to the once-a-week schedule we have now. This extra week in between updates will give me more time to create significant backlog, which will provide for more streamlined, organized updates.
> 
> In the meantime, here are some polls for predictions on chapter two.
> 
> https://www.strawpoll.me/19957344 - [ victim ]  
> https://www.strawpoll.me/19957361 - [ killer ]
> 
> See you later!


	10. [interlude] pearl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A girl gets a phone call.

A thin, pale girl with long white hair sits in a classroom. People constantly told her to dye it back to black, but she never did, no matter how often she got in trouble for it.

“Hey,” the girl next to her whispers, “Shinju-chan.”

“What?” Shinju hisses back, crossing her arms and huffing.

“No need to be rude, I was just asking… Do you know what’s going on? About Hope’s Peak, I mean.”

“Why would I? I don’t go there. I’m not a college student.”

“I… I mean, I know, but you’d know more than other people, I mean.”

“Know _what?_ ”

“… Just forget I said anything, sorry.” The girl turns back to the lecture that’s currently being given. Shinju groans quietly.

________________

It’s less than five minutes later when her phone goes off. She excuses herself and answers it in the hallway-- it’s a phone call, surprisingly.

“Hello? Who is this?”

The voice is clear, but almost too clear. Like a voice coming from inside a dream. Almost like a program’s approximation of a human voice. It’s much too detailed for that to be the case, obviously.

“Is this Shinju-san?”

“... Yes? Yes it is, who are you?”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m here to ask you some questions, if that’s alright.”

Shinju is almost certain that this is not alright. “Sure.”

“Perfect.” The voice clears its throat.

“Do you know how many people died in the tragedy thirty years ago, Shinju-san?” It asks.

“… Yes? Obviously, we don’t know exactly how many people, but it’s somewhere around a hundred million.”

“Bzzzzzt.”

“Excuse me?”

“Bzzzt. Wrong answer. Guess again.”

Shinju almost doesn’t respond. “Listen, dude, I’m studying this _right_ now, and I can tell you for a fact that ‘Around one-hundred-million’ is gonna be on the test, and it’s gonna be right, and _I’m_ gonna be right because I picked it out.”

“… Can I tell you something else, Shinju-san?”

She stays quiet.

“Two billion.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Two. Billion.”

“Two billion what?”

“Two billion.” The voice repeats, with a small breath that almost sounds like a chuckle.”That’s the approximate number of people who died in the tragedy. Did you know that earth used to have seven billion people living on it?”

“… You’re fucking with me.” Shinju replies with utmost seriousness.

“I’m not. Why would I be?” The voice has a tinge of playfulness to it.

“I got a question wrong on my history quiz because I thought there were seven billion people, okay, I know this! So, just... ”

Shinju groans, though it sounds almost like a growl. “I’m hanging up now.”

“Shinju-san, do you know where your sister is?”

“… She’s at school. Probably cutting construction paper or something.”

“Ah, I should have worded that more clearly…”

There’s a shifting on the other end of the line, like the speaker is getting into a more comfortable position.

“ … Ms. Ogasawara, do you know where your eldest sister is?”

There is a moment of painful silence.

And Shinju does not hang up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this now because I finally have enough energy to continue work on chapter two! Hurray!
> 
> Please feel free to make predictions in the comments.


	11. cancellation notice ( sorry y'all )

hey, sorry about this, but cdr isnt continuing. 

i thought i could just slap some redesigns on a few characters and patch up the bad stuff, but the terrible implications run deeper than i thought, and the more i thought about it the more i didn’t feel comfortable continuing the work.

you can join the discord and scroll up in #plaza for a plot summary and stuff like that, but i probably won’t be there. as you can imagine this is both incredibly disappointing and incredibly embarrassing for me :/

i have another fangan that i’m working on (because if i try to not have a project for too long i explode) but that probably won’t come out for a while, especially considering how this is the _second_ time a fangan i've written ended badly

i'll update this when i do eventually post the prologue to another fangan, but for now this is just gonna stay up for archival purposes

this probably isn't the last you'll see of this cast, though. i do want to write a webcomic eventually, and a lot of the cdr cast will show up there... plus im generally still attached to them even if i don't feel comfortable writing their story.

i'd like to restate that this is just as disappointing for me as it is for you. if not moreso.

sorry, y’all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on tumblr and twitter @gaynidai if you want to see how im doing


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